


3 could have beens

by TFALokiwriter



Category: Star Trek RPF, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Acceptance, F/M, Fear, Gen, Humor, Hurt, Injury, Lessons, M Continuum, Paranoria, Q Continuum, Science Fiction, Stress, War, War wounds, celestial, game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2018-05-04 19:37:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5346119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if there was a second war between the M and Q? What if this featured the 'original' version that frankly never met Jean-Luc Picard, Kathyn Janeway, and Benjamin Sisko to name a few.  This is told in Q's perspective. </p><p>Started: 12/3/2015</p><p>Completed: 12/6/2015 at 9:09 PM.</p>
            </blockquote>





	3 could have beens

I had my back against the wall with a Q phaser in my hand.  I looked over to see my opponent. I fired in the direction of my opponent. Who was the unlucky opponent? One member belonging to the sorry-to-the-bone M. M from the M Continuum; counterparts of the well known and celestial godly beings the Q. A long, long, long time ago the M Continuum and Q continuum had a freak accident merging together. Now, there were some of us who were desperate to separate the two continuums but the M continuum seized the occasion to finally get rid of us Q. It was difficult to attempt diverging our continuums because the M kept trying to stop us!

A blast of M energy came past inches from my face.

You see, they claim that we Q are exact duplicates of them except we leave in a white flash and they leave in a dark flash.

The M insist they create order while we Q namely do _that_ and create practical games while obeying our version of the Prime Directive.

I like to think we were inspired by the Time Lords rules.

 **Do not** interfere with one's history; including when they have a short life span.

 **Do not** interfere in the affairs of others.

 **Do not** tell the future to a unsuspecting human when it could drive them mad.

And last but not least: **Never**. . . **ever**. . . give humans a taste of our power.

It is strictly forbidden.

I pride myself in following these rules.

Maybe because the war started in my youth and fighting in this war is the only thing I know doing.

Meddling is so not in my nature.

"You missed!" I shouted, firing back.

Shortly after our war began, someone got the brilliant idea to implement phasers into combat rather than doing  the old style fighting. Energy against energy.  Hands against hand. Foot against stomach. Fist striking hard against the nose. Balled up sweaty hand striking the side of a fellow omnipotent's cheek. Why I did that once but simply doing that wouldn't get rid of the M following me in the first war shared by us Q and the M. How did I get rid of that waste of life? Q energy, or just plain celestial energy that is referred to in the world of inferior beings.  I had a snicker hiding against the wall.

I heard the command come through.

"Retreat!" Q called to every Q remaining out there. "We are under heavy fire! Leave the continuum and save yourselves!"

My eyes widened.

"Over my empty vessel!"  I replied into the connection.

I love my continuum. But it becoming a war-zone? That aches too much. I have seen Q that I knew since I was a child become empty shells, their bodies turn into dust twenty-four hours later joining the rest of the universe out there, and what remained of their universe is otherwise destroyed by a black hole caused by a gigantic supernova. I have seen so many stars vanish because of this senseless war. I ran into a building covering my arm that had a stinging wound. I am Q, the fighter, the soldier, the patriot, the beginning and the end. I haven't been exploring much since this war began.

I made it to the other side of the building where the left hand side simply exploded.

Oh damn it, they got new cannons.

I collapsed into a chair.

"Annoying M." I said, covering my wound.

I patched myself up clearing the blood from my sight.

Oh Q, did it hurt.

I materialized outside of the building grabbing at my shoulder.

I came to a halt seeing the phaser blasts headed my direction.

So I raised my Q phaser and fired at the oncoming blasts.

I didn't care if I died.

I only cared about defending the Q continuum! The Q continuum is a complete hive of our minds that work in sync that keeps everything: in balance, focus, sense, and logic. It is a reason why  I have not grown mad from the lack of spice. Spice as in anything new coming out besides a war! If all the Q continuum members died then the Q continuum would be absorbed into the M continuum and enlarge taking over another universe in Continuum War 2.  The M energy blasts were struck down all except for the one landing square in the right side of my chest.  I collapsed to my knees curling over feeling a hot burn travel. That isn't easy for a Q to heal. Only a M can heal it not a Q, and I do not expect for the M to give me a easy death.

I made my Q phaser vanish accepting my fate.

My fate?

To die defending the Q continuum.

Then a whole group of M surrounded me.

"Ah, the fighter," Came M. She had red hair. One of the many M surrounding me. "I thought you would never die."

"I believe he should die facing his killer," Came another M. You may refer to him as Sir M. But I just call him M. That's everyone's names from the M continuum: M. "It would be unfair for him to bow out this way."

"Fine." M said.

My vision cleared, and I could feel that I had my hands behind my back cuffed.

In the gray fog that coated the two continuum's I could still see figures and colors

A miracle really.

"Any last words, Q?" M asked.

I know she was dying to fire that shot.

I had my eyes on the red head.

"I am not giving you the pleasure to hear my seven thousand two hundred thirty-three paged will and testament." I said, in the most hateful way I could bring it in.

M smirked.

"So be it." M said.

Naturally, before a Q is about to face death they see three things in their line of vision. Or in a near death occasion. The three things? The first person would be the one Q could have become very close to and be called 'Best friend forever', the second person could have been a 'good friend', and the third could namely two people who could have been connected with someone of the Q's past.  I often wondered what my three 'could have been' would be in my last moment alive as a Q. Turns out I might get to find out.

Time goes slower for Q when they are to be shot.

Time goes very, _very_ , **very** slow for us.

Behind the M I could see materializing figures in unusual colors. Well, really, that applied to the first one. The others appeared in a faze. The first one was a man with a bald head (little hair might I note) in a black and red jumpsuit, the second was of a woman in the same jumpsuit except her hair was up in a bun, the last was two men with one blonde human bearing human qualities and the second  raven dark hair man who had curly ears. The two men had on a uniform that had a item on their right breast that was consistent to the ones on the bald man and the younger woman. 

M aimed the gun at my forehead.

The bald man, however remained appearing to be shocked holding what seemed to be a teacup.

The first word out of his mouth was, "Q!"

And the next words out of his mouth were, in order, "TAKE ME BACK TO MY SHIP!"

Ship?

I wonder what he is talking about.

A wooden ship?

The other three vanished out of sight.

So, with questions that needed to be answered I ducked to the side. My left shoulder had been healed by the M in preparation for the end. Apparently someone believed I am not yet quite ready to face my end. M leaped up and down covering his shoe that had a burned hole in it. I grinned, then snapped my fingers taking myself into the mountains with the random human.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . Fifteen Q minutes later. . .**

**. . . In a well kept cave. . .**

"Q, I am not repeating myself, TAKE ME BACK!"

I sat down into a chair taking out a walkie talkie.

Old form of communication.

"My name is  Q," I said, flatly. "The fighter."

"Fighter?" The bald man said.

"Yes, the fighter, and it is better than nothing!" I said.

The bald man stared at me, concerned.

"You don't seem like the fighting type." The bald man said.

I looked up toward the man.

"I don't know who you are and you must be mistaking me for a Q who died long ago in this terrible and treacherous war!" I said. "I just met you!  You are acting like you have already known me for a very long time. I don't know which universe you come from but I intend to put you right back you belong after you tell me your name and why you are so very important to appear in my last moments alive."

". . . Q. . ." The bald man said.

"I am not your Q," I said. "Never was."

The bald man appeared to be lost.

"Don't you know me?" The bald man asked.

I glared at the terran.

"No." I said, quite simply.

"No. . ." The bald man repeated.

I had a heavy sigh.

"Repeating everything I say makes you sound like a rather intelligent cave," I said. "It is like I am hearing my own echo."

The bald man appeared to be troubled.

"I have jumped timelines. . ." The bald man said.

I stared long and hard at him.

"You did. . . what?" I said.

"I don't know how I did it, but I jumped your timeline." The bald man said.

I laughed at the bald man.

"That tops the cake," I said, shaking my head. "Now tell me again how you know me?" I had a serious look. "Are you a spy from the M continuum?"

"Q, I am the captain of the USS _Enterprise-D_!" The bald man said. "I have no reason to spy on you."

"Your name." I said.

"Jean-Luc Picard." Picard said.

"Never heard of you." I said.

Picard appeared to be dumbfounded.

" _Never_?" Picard repeated.

I didn't break my serious expression.

" **Ever**." I said, icely.

"What about Far Point?" Picard asked.

I shook my head.

"Been busy with the war," I said. "It had to be very important to get my attention." I pressed a rounded clickable button to the side of the square device attached to a radio. "This is Q, the fighter, in the cloaked side of the Q continuum. Is there any other Q still out there in the continuum?" I lowered the item down. "Listen, Picard, I don't understand how you are so important to me but you better not tell a soul about what you saw today."

I snapped my fingers.

Nothing happened.

I tried again.

Nothing happened.

I tried a third time.

Zilch. 

Nada. 

Powers not working. 

They refused to send Picard back to his time.

Picard had finished his cup of Earl Gray tea.

"It seems the judges have other intentions." Picard said.

I kept my anger back.

"We don't have judges anymore," I said. "Former judges died ten thousand twenty-three hundred years ago." I looked over to Picard. "Why do you consider me your friend?"

"Because you are the one considers me your friend." Picard said.

" _Moi_?" I put one hand on my chest acting baffled. "No, I don't."

"Yes, you do." Picard said.

I lowered my hand to the table.

"Oh, do not flatter yourself," I said. "I do not befriend inferior races! I have plenty of friends in the Q continuum!"

"Ah, then  my Q does not have the friends you have." Picard said.

"What?" I asked.

"Q is alone." Picard said.

That felt as though I was hit square in the chest right in my life source section.

"Alone. . ." I said, almost in a whisper.

"Yes,"  Picard said, with a nod. "He is very desperate to have friends."

I closed my eyes.

"Alone in the universe. . ." I said. "That is a terrible thing." I opened my eyes. "I am glad that I am not your Q."

"But you _are_ Q." Picard said.

"I may look like him but we are two different people, Picard!"  I said. "From what you have told me it sounds as though I am the original version and I don't know you that well. For all I know:  I am _never_ supposed to meet my version of you!" I pointed directly at the terran's chest. "You are the captain of a wooden ship for all I know piloted by the wind and oars and flags!"

Picard had a low sigh.

". . . Q. . ."

"What?"

"I am talking about a Cast Rhodinium  armored space flying ship that is nothing like the one you think of. It is like a boat or a submarine combined into a vast airplane from the 21st century."

"Oh. . .  A airplane."

I conjured up the image of a airplane from the 21st century in my mind.

"Just more so  designed for outer space and has several decks for Starships." Picard said.

I had a sigh.

"I don't know who else is to appear but I have a feeling a woman I saw will appear  . . ." I said. "Who else do I know in your time?"

"I have no idea." Picard said.

"Pretty woman with brown hair in a bun, light blue eyes, and square jaw?" I asked.

"Ah, Kathryn," Picard said. "I remember her.  . . She went MIA with the _Voyager_."

I frowned.

"I believe since I saw her: she ain't dead." I said, with a snicker.

"Q!" I heard Lady Q's voice over the walkie talkie.

"Q?" I said, in shock. "I thought you died."

"But Q told me you were omnipotent." Picard said.

"We can die against our own weapons, human." I said.

Picard frowned.

"Call me by my given name," Picard said. "At least you treated me like a human back then before the war."

"Listen, Picard," I said. "War is a hard thing to live with. And I want to fix it much as _I want to send you back_."

Picard raised a brow.

"Did I hear sincere from you?" Picard said.

"Apparently I am more sincere than my other self," I said. "How lovely." I looked up toward the captain. "Enough with the act. You just did."

I turned my head toward the walkie talkie.

"Q, who are you talking to?" Lady Q asked.

"I am talking to Picard--"  I looked over to see Picard had vanished. "Now that is odd."

I could not detect Picard's presence in the continuum.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . .  Two Q hours and thirty-eight Q minutes later. . .**

Why did Picard randomly appear and disappear on me?

What was the whole intention?

Several Q and I went to ground zero. Where the two continuums were converged. I held my Q phaser. I looked over my shoulder to see several engineers hard at work using their power to undo the natural phenomena. I turned my head in the direction that I had been facing. I saw a black energy blast headed my way. Actually there were five in all headed our direction. I raised the Q phaser up, pressed the trigger, then aimed the phaser at the oncoming shot. Being in war for so long leaves a Q to become merciless.

Killing M has become easy.

Before I could press the trigger again, I saw Kathryn appear.

I could sense there being a oncoming shot hurling toward her direction.

I had a feeling she isn't supposed to die right here and now.

"Q!" Q shouted.

I materialized behind Kathryn acting as a shield bringing up my defensive protection. Kathryn turned in my direction appeared to be shocked genuinely.  I shot back at the firing M. Kathryn had a low "Q?" that sounded mostly in shock. **Kr-a-ack!** My Q phaser was destroyed making a burn right on my fingertips. I had to keep Kathryn safe. She shouldn't be here. Why are people from my other timeline entering on the day I am supposed to die? This is unheard of for those 'could have been' people to appear in the same day an Q is fated (presumably) to die.

"I am sorry, but I have to put you into a pocket universe," I said. "I will be right with you. By the way; **I am not your Q**."

"Q, take me back--" Kathryn started but she vanished in a white flash.

"To my ship." I finished her sentence.

It is quite pointless seeing the three 'could have been' people in my life and interacting with them.

A huge facepalm to death.

Why not?

Because I am not in the brink of death.

Death can kiss my ass goodbye for another eon or two!

I raised my hand in the direction of the firing M spreading my fingers out.

"WE NEED MORE TIME!" The engineers shouted back.

Old style celestial fighting.

I discharged my own energy in the direction of the flying balls. I even made one fire back in the direction of the sorry-to-the-bone M. And then I could feel a sharp charge into my stomach. I looked down rewinding time to see the exact moment it happened. I was distracted then. The  dark black M discharged ball tore through my stomach ripping my internal important parts shooting right out making a white circular color as it exited. Simply put: It tore through my organs.  I heard a familiar shout of a Q, "Q!" calling me out. I realized then I was very doomed to die.

I had one hand over my stomach lying there on the floor immobilize.

Q cannot move after a blow like that.

There a black flash appeared beside me.

Then I saw a woman with the power of M radiating off her kneeling down over me. She had very brown eyes and her blonde hair was . . . up? It kind of reminded me of a old hair style that went out of fashion on a particular planet before the M had made themselves known to the Q. She had a curious expression about her pretty face. In the middle of my misery she was acting so rude by staring at me.

"Why don't you end my suffering, M?" I asked.

She did not reply for a moment.

"My name is not M." The woman in a pink attire said.

I furrowed my eyebrows glaring at the woman.

"You are M, so you are!" I argued back.

The woman sighed.

"My name is Amanda Rogers," Amanda said. "I saw the other you . . . As my third could have been."

I stared at her.

"You are being rude by not finishing me off," I said. "Nor are you one of my 3 could have beens!" I couldn't raise my hand to fire back at Amanda as the injury was life threatening and my entire body was using all the energy to heal that wound. "Are you here to laugh at how I am to die, M?"

Amanda shook her head.

"You shouldn't die this way." Amanda said, sadly.

"Then end my misery." I said, boldly.

Amanda had those determined eyes reading 'No'.

Big fat 'no'.

'No!'  Amanda's eyes shouted back.

"It is not your time,Q," Amanda flicks away a  flying greenish blue blast of energy using her fingers. Q'ish, so unlike a  M. She looked down toward me with those bored pair of eyes. "As I said."

"You act like a Q and yet you are a M." I observed.

Amanda smiled.

"You must live." Amanda said.

Amanda put her hand above my stomach then focused on it.

I realized that time to both Q and M were frozen.

The scenery around us started to turn white.

I focused my eyes on Amanda puzzled by the sudden change in scenery.

"Take my hand if you want to live."

Where have I heard that phrase before?

Against my better judgement I took Amanda's hand and she helped me up into what seemed to be a beach. The whiteness had vanished. I saw Kathryn standing at the tip of a rocky bluff. I materialized right beside Kathryn with my hands behind my back to see what she was seeing. Kathryn had this pull about her. Something that defied all gravity. It tugged me toward her. What was it? I haven't felt this since I met Lady Q. Amanda was no where in sight. 

"It looks beautiful when the sun sets," I said. "Doesn't it?"

Kathryn turned in my direction half delighted and half mad at me. 

"Yes," Kathryn agreed. "It does."

I sighed. 

"I know what you are going to ask," I said. "And I will try harder this time."

I held my hand up. 

"Wait. . ." Kathryn said. "Why do you look younger than the first time I saw you?"

I lowered my hand, caught off guard.

"What?" I repeated.

"You look younger." Kathryn said.

I was baffled. 

"We do not age physically like you, humans," I said. "I am forever."

"Now you sound like Q again." Kathryn said, appearing as though she was relieved.

I raised my eyebrows.

"What am I like in your universe?" I asked.

"Rule breaker, annoying, and a liar." Kathryn said.

"Well,"  I said. "I am neither of the three." I looked at Kathryn. "Am I attracted to you in your universe?"

"You approached me to have your child during the Q civil war." Kathryn said.

I stepped back.

But it made sense with that 'pull' she has.

"I did . . ." I lowered my head then shook it in disappointment. "My Q. . . That is forbidden." I lifted my head up toward the young captain.  "One of many forbidden things unless it were for a emergency."

"It was a emergency," Kathryn said, turning my direction. "You were hurt. Q were dying."

"Ah, of course." I said.

I turned away feeling such shame about my other self.

"You saved the Federation by introducing us to the Borg." Kathryn said.

I turned back over with a grim expression.

"I did not just do that." I said.

"You did." Kathryn said.

"Does he not care about the rules?" I asked. She shook her head. "NEVER EVER provoke the Borg!"

"What kind of Q are you who looks like Q and just flatly follows the rules without having mercy for them?"

"We do not interfere with the affairs of others, Miss Kathryn!" I said. "It is against the rules!"

"That never stopped you from bringing me to the Q continuum!" Kathryn said.

"I never did that!" I argued back.

"It was during the Q civil war," Kathryn said.  "My Q did! For the freedom of new age in the continuum instead of being held back!"

I shook my head feeling disgust.

"Making a civil war is the worst idea in all of ideas at the moment," I said. " **I love my continuum**!" I flailed my arms. "Breaking it apart by a civil war? **No**. **No**. **No**. I have seen too many Q die to do that." I stared back at the captain's direction. "I don't know what your Q is on but he is mad. A mad Q. Does he not have a war going on his continuum between the Q and the M?" She nodded her head.  "I truly envy him! I have been fighting in this war for way too long! Getting out of the phrase of war won't be easy. Nothing comes easy after a massive war. There might be several wormholes to fix. . ."

"Or PTSD." Kathryn said.

"P. . T. . S. . .D?" I said, confused.

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,"  Kathryn said. "It can linger for years or be life long. Mostly triggered by a terrifying event."

"So . . ." I said. "Some of us might have that."

Some of the surviving Q might have it.

The horrors of war.

"You might never know that you have it." Kathryn said, stepping forward.

I held my hand up preparing to snap my fingers.

"I am sending you back,Kathy." I said.

I snapped my fingers.  Instead we were consumed in what seemed to be a backfired Q explosion.  The next I know I am in a very deep crater in the middle of a crowded forest. There were trees up in the distance nearly blocking the sun so that is how I knew. I can see the side of a large tree near the edge. Rocks were dug into the side of the crater. Roots belonging to different plants stood out bend in their eerily frightening fashion. I swear if it were this 'Halloween' holiday then I would have been afraid.  Kathryn laid across me sprawled all over covered semi in dirt. Her eyes were closed. I was very cautious about what to say next. The M might be pulling all the tricks! Yes, that might be it. They could be trapping the power wires for the Q to sap their energy in order to make us kill ourselves by pure thought.

I didn't say a word for the next half Q hour.

"Kathy?" I said.

My body was well in shock and unable to move.

"Kathy. . ." I said. "Kathy?. . ." I grew panicked.  "KATHYYYYY!"

I heard a cough then a groan from Kathryn's body.

"Oh phew." I said, relaxed.

"Q. . ." Kathryn said. "What. . . What happened?"

"Sabotage is what happened," I said. "Someone sabotaged my pocket universe."

But who had the time and resources to deliberately rat me out of my pocket universe?

The M.

Of course.

"My head, it hurts." Kathryn said, rubbing the side of her head wincing her eyes.

"Climb to the top,Kathy" I said. "I have a reasonable deduction that we are not in the Q continuum."

Kathryn  turned over, pushing herself up right.

"Q, where are we?" Kathryn asked.

"Dirt." I said.

"No really." Kathryn said.

I sighed.

"Planet dirt," I said. "Or maybe not."  I closed my eyes sensing the boundaries, the continuum indications, the speed of the wind, a coin rolling in a perfect circular shape, animal life hiding in the forest,a woodpecker chipping at  a tree, and a herd of deer carefully walking in the forest. "I . . . for the life of me. . ." I opened my eyes trying to comprehend this strange occurrence. "Cannot tell what continuum this is."

"Q, get up." Kathryn said.

"I'll get up when you get out and check where we're at." I said.

"Don't leave me if it turns out we are still in your continuum." Kathryn said.

I glared darkly at her direction.

"I would _know_ if I were in the Q continuum, human." I said.

"What do you call yourself?" Kathryn asked.

"Q, the fighter." I said.

"I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the USS _Voyager_ ," Kathryn said, getting up on her two feet. "Nice to meet you, Q."

Kathryn climbed up the crater using the dirt and the tree roots. Shortly after she was out of ear shot and out of my line of vision, I tried to move my arms. I couldn't move them up. No matter what I did. I tried moving my legs to the side. Nothing came out of it. I kept doing this for five minutes struggling to make myself move. I looked over to see brown roots had wrapped themselves around my joints, and now they were wrapping around my chest. My legs were being towed in first into the dirt. I looked up noticing my line of vision was changing. Something was not right. I couldn't speak for some reason. Was it because I was full of too much pride?

Halfway in I managed to yank my right arm out of the dirt and my left arm then try to claw myself out.

It kept going and going.

Damn it.

I might actually need help.

In the long war I have been the one to not be critically injured by the M phaser blasts. Instead? I have received minor injuries such as burns, scrapes, and bruises.

"Help!" I shouted.

I was so afraid.

My fingers were slowly becoming black.

How long was I at this?

Q seconds?

Twiliseconds?

Q minutes?

Seconds?

Minutes?

"Kathy!" I shouted. "Kathryn, I need help!" I clawed into the dirt seeing my shoulders going deeper while the roots were dragging me in. I looked away,horrorfied,  then back up toward the rounded hole into the sky with the yellow circular shape made by the tree branches. "Kathy!"

I heard the sounds of boots headed my direction.

"Kaaathy!"  I shouted again.

Now the dirt was beneath my chin.

"You are not going to believe this, we are right below the _Voyager_ ," Kathryn's voice was coming closer. "We are in the Delta Quadrant, Q!"

Ah, so I landed in the wrong place.

"KATHY!" I shouted. "HELP!"

That explosion must have something to do about that.

"Q?" Kathryn asked, coming faster. "I am coming!"

I dug my my visible hands forwards attempting to get out but it kept pulling. My left arm vanished into the darkness and  I closed my eyes to shield them from the dirt. It comes naturally for every being to do so. It is instinctive. I was being dragged down by the roots. My head submerged under the dirt. My right hand was wide open with fingers spread out desperately trying to find a grip. A grip to hold onto. A grip to struggle against the external threat. My left arm was to my side bound by the roots.  Upon the tips of fingertips my right hand wrapped around the softer and smaller hand. I can feel a tug being upwards.

_Kathryn._

I was so afraid.

Scared.

I needed out of this.

Truthfully Kathryn being there gave me hope.

Truthfully this is also the moment where I really, _really_ , **really** wanted to live.

The tug down was getting stronger. 

I could sense Kathryn could be submerged inside the dirt along with me and possibly die if she continued to try tugging me back up.

I let go of Kathryn's hand to _save her_.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Much as I like to say that I have saved the lives of others . . . despite mine. . . Other than  Kathryn, no. I have not.  I landed with a thud to the ground. My eyes struggled to open. To register what had happened. Wasn't I just being tugged down into the dirt quite possibly into the mantle by tree roots? I heard cautious footsteps my way.  My eyes could see complete darkness. I knocked on the floor.

It echoed back at me.

So I am on wood.

I felt along to feel a leg. A table leg. I followed the edge up then felt the top. I used it to help me up only to hit my head underneath the table. So I am under a table? I felt upwards using both hands to feel where the table ended. I could feel the rounded sides underneath where there wasn't a surface to be nearby. So I rolled over and over and over until I was out. Well, actually, my side hit the wall.

I then help myself up hearing the cautious feet headed my direction.

Complete utter darkness.

Is it the M's doing?

It better not be.

My eyes adjusted enough I could see the figure of a man holding a baseball bat headed my direction. 

"Do you need some lights to see?"  I asked. 

I snapped my fingers turning the lights on. 

"John?" He looked exactly like Picard only he had no little hair.  "John de Lancie?"

I stared at the human, confused.

"I am not John de Lancie," I said. "I am a unexpected visitor. Sorry for the sudden landing. . . I better snap away and hopefully not explode anything!" I snapped my fingers. Nothing happened. **Snap.** Nothing. **Snap.** Nothing. "Come on, what is wrong with my powers?"

I looked over to the man.

"You remind me of that Picard fellow who claimed I was friends with him," I said. "Who are you?"

The man lowered his baseball bat.

"Patrick Stewart," Patrick said. "Can you stop pretending to be Q?"

I frowned.

"I _am_ Q." I said.

"You look young again," Patrick said. "Did you get Botox again?"

I was pretty angry.

"I will give you proof, little man."  I said.

I snapped my fingers.

This time a Walrus appeared in the dead center in a white flash.

"Ooof, ooof, oof." The Walrus cried.

"Q!" Patrick said. "Put the Walrus back!"

"He is going to die if I put him back," I said. "Oh well, it is part of the circle of life."

I snapped my fingers.

The Walrus vanished and I sat down into a chair.

"Now let me guess," I said. "I am in a universe where I am fictional." I had turned the chair around and rested my hands on the back seat edge. "How cheery." I had a sneer at it. "I am not the Q you are thinking of, Mr Stewart." I shook my hand. "I am sorry for appearing this way . . ."

Patrick had a disdainful look then he turned around.

"What?" I said.

"You are naked, Q." Patrick said.

"No, I am not." I said.

"Yes, you are!" Patrick said.

I looked down.

I noticed then I was naked.

"Oh. . . This is very embarrassing," I said.  "Have  I been running around naked this entire time?"

I snapped my fingers dressing myself up in army uniform.

"You can turn around now." I said.

Patrick turned around back in my direction.

"What is that?" Patrick asked.

"My army uniform." I said.

"If I am not mistaken, it looks like a Star Fleet Captain uniform from _The Next Generation_   season 1 to season 7 mixed with the modern day American army uniform." Patrick said.

"Star Fleet . . ." I said. "Never heard of it."

"But you are Q," Patrick said. "You should know about it. You know everything."

I sighed, getting up then turn the chair back toward the table.

"For most of my life I have been part of a war," I said. "I was taken into your world by a group of plant roots into the ground separated from Kathryn."

"Kathryn, as in Kathryn Janeway?" Patrick asked.

"Yes," I said, drawing the 's' out. "That Kathy."

"So he does call Kathryn 'Kathy'." Patrick said, in shock.

"What?" I said, puzzled. 

"Me and John had this conversation once about Q's nicknames a few years back. We had a bet that in one universe Q must call Janeway 'Kathy' in one where he does not act out of character," Patrick said.  "Though we rarely talk about _The Next Generation_ these days. We had the _The Next Generation_ curse easier."

That did not make sense to me.

It sounded so alien.

"I very much do not like being  . . ." I shook my head. "I have seen my three could have been's today, Patrick."

"And?" Patrick asked.

"That only happens when I am going to die. I am the original Q," I explained. "No ties to your precious fictional world . . ."

" _Star Trek_." Patrick said.

"Ah, trekking the stars?" I repeated.  "Quite a fitting name."

"You seem to avoid saying that." Patrick said.

"Saying what?" I asked.

" _Star Trek_." Patrick said.

"It sounds much fancier from me in my word modifications," I said. "I am very sorry for waking you up . . . I will try again to leave."

I raised my hand up then snapped my fingers.

Zilch.

Nada.

"Apparently you are unable to go where you please." Patrick said, amused.

"Not funny,Patrick." I said, glaring at Patrick.

Then a woman came in. 

"Patrick?" She had shoulder length brown hair. God, did she look good.

My move to make myself invincible to them.

"Oh, it was just John--" Patrick looked in my direction to see that I had vanished. "He is still here,Sunny."

"John who?" Sunny asked.

"Q." Patrick said.

"Are you reacting another scene with John de Lancie at this late at night?"  Sunny asked, raising a brow.

"Wait a minute," Patrick said. "I know where he is going. Stay here. I will be right back with him."

I was heading toward the door when  I felt that my head was struck. I collapsed to the floor. I knew who hit me. It didn't take a rocket scientist. I was hit by Picard look alike. A look alike! I awoke on a couch with something cool and icy wrapped around my aching head. Ow. Ow.  Ow. My head was pounding. How hard had he struck it?

"You are lucky I don't die because of your foolish wood." I said.

Patrick had the bat against the table. 

"Who are you calling?" I asked, as he was swiping on a device.

"Your actor," Patrick said. "Your actor knows you better than I."

"Didn't you listen to a word I said?" I asked. " _I am not the Q you know_!"

Patrick put the phone to his ear.

Sunny was beside him looking at me with wide eyes.

"Ah, hello," Patrick said. "I am sorry for waking you up this early. Hey John,what if there was a timeline where Q was at war for most of his life and never did visit the Enterprise? Would he still be the same character?" He listened, and listened, nodding, muttering "I understand, uh huh." He looked back at me then to Sunny and then to me again. "The occasion? I happen to have a special visitor." He had a short laugh. "No, it is not Kate Mulgrew and a film crew." He cleared his throat. "John, Q is real."

Patrick lowered the phone where there was loud laughter  coming off it.

My laughter?

Do I honestly sound like a maniac when I laugh?

A evil one in fact?

"I don't laugh that way," I said. "This is insulting. Unbind me!"

The laughter stopped.

Patrick put the phone to his ear.

"He tried to leave," Patrick said. "Yes, I did. I realize that. Well. . . What would you do if you had a entity who's powers were not working and he could cause a global panic by just snapping his fingers." He had a laugh. "No, I am not reporting him. What? You want me to turn the TV on? Why?" He seemed puzzled. "Okay . . .How does this relate to Q?"

Patrick looked over to Sunny.

Sunny turned the TV on using a long black elongated item.

On the TV appeared a life screen of what seemed to be half a ship coming out of a crater. It reminded me of a garden shovel. On the bottom of the screen was a blue tag with white words reading 'Random crater with alleged UFO'. I leaned forward with my jaw dropping. I looked over to the two in shock then back to the screen. I never was this stunned before. What was on the mind of the machine to come in through the dirt? What, exactly?

"Oh my god." Sunny said.

"Is that the _Voyager_?" Patrick said, in shock.

"I have to go,  I have to go, I have to go." I said.

I saw then the image flickered on the screen before the helicopters view.

The image wasn't real.

"I know what this is! I know what that is! I definitely know what that is! That is a search light not a . .  ." I stopped, unable to define what it is.  "Uh. . . what is that?"

"A starship." Patrick said.

"Why yes, it is not a starship!" I said. "It is a search light. Can you unbind me and--"

"Your head needs ice to be pressed against it, Q." Sunny said.

"I will take him to central park." Patrick said.

"No, I will take myself!" I said.

I snapped my fingers.

"COME ON, WORK!" I said, in frustration.

"Thank you, John," Patrick said. "Why yes I will. Expect it in your notifications in a few minutes." He smiled. "I will talk to you later, bye."

Patrick lifted the phone  up, pressed on the screen, and held it at my direction.

"Say cheese." Patrick said.

I frowned.

"I will not!" I said.

Patrick smiled tapping on the device repeatedly.

"And sent." Patrick said.

I sulked.

"Why do you revel in my misery?" I asked.

"Because for so long, I portrayed a character who you enjoyed putting in misery," Patrick said. "Now it is my turn to show someone else you in misery."

I glared back at the terran.

"And how do you plan to get me into your form of transport without me leaving you in the dust?" I asked.

"I have the option of throwing you out the window." Patrick said.

My eyes widened.

That would do a great deal to my legs.

It is not like I am a cat with quick reflexes.

"Hey!" I said.

"You are a godly being and so that doesn't harm you." Patrick said.

"But a baseball bat does!" I said.

"You are a fictional character, Q," Patrick said. "It does less harm."

"How are you even sure?" I asked.

"You are Q," Patrick said. "Turn yourself into a cat."

"Ah, no way." I said.

"I will share these images of you on www dot Trekker dash Enterprise dot com if you do not turn into a cat with a ice bag on your head," Patrick said. "I will also share it on www dot Celebrity dash Trekker dot com."

I glared at the terran.

". . .Fine," I said. "But they'll think it is my actor or someone else."

Patrick simply smiled.

"No one would ever wear that uniform," Patrick said, pointing at me.  "Besides, I have other pictures prepared to share . . ."  He lowered his hand. "Like you gaping at the television."

I snapped my fingers.

Tada, I am a cat.

"And by the way," Patrick said. "Between John and I, we both agree that our Q and Picard share a golden friendship."

Sunny picked me up into her arms.

"Honey," Sunny said. "Do I really have to throw him out the window?"

"Yes," Patrick said. "Trust me. Q won't get hurt."

Patrick opened the window.

"This might be animal cruelty." Sunny said, concerned,.

"I AM NO HOUSE PET!" I lashed my claws out.

Sadly, they can only hear meowing.

"Ah!" Sunny tossed me out.

"Good throw!" Patrick said.

This is absurd.

This cannot be real.

These reactions are absurd!

I landed on the hat of a strolling man then extended my claws. 

"Ow!" The man cried, taking off his hat. 

I was still attached to the hat rather terrified and then he screamed at a dark cat with blue eyes staring right into his soul. Why yes, that _did_ happen. The man fled on foot. Why do people scream at domestic animals after they find them in the oddest of places  such as a stadium, street corner, purses, hats, and on top of their cars for petes sake! I stood there for what seemed to be a Q minute to me when suddenly I felt big hands pick me up.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH ME!" I shouted. "Unhand me or  I shall ugly your face up with my claws!"

"Maybe I should have come out with a Jason mask." Patrick said.

Patrick started the form of transport after opening the left hand side door, tossed me into the passenger seat, and then got into what is apparently  the drivers seat. I could smell . . . Colon on him? I transformed back into a hand with a aching head. Patrick had one look at me then ordered me to put a icebag on the side of my head. Well, the way Patrick put it sounded like a order.  I realized then he would portray someone who was rather good at giving orders such as a teacher or someone of authority.

I can totally picture him as the judge or a principal.

"Are you an actor?"  I asked, pressing an icebag against the side of my head.

"Yes." Patrick said.

"It just occurred to me about asking you. . . with that colon." I said.

"Oh, Sunny was putting on perfume when I was in the bathroom." Patrick said.

"Perfume. . . So not your type." I said.

Patrick gave me a glare or something like that because of the darkness and the light contrasting against his face.

I can't really tell.

"Watch it." Patrick said.

Patrick took out a belt then pressed it into a red device that made a click.

"All right." I said.

We sat there in silence for at least a couple minutes.

"I am not starting this car until you buckle up." Patrick said.

I had a look of disbelief.

"You didn't care about me getting hurt." I said.

"Q," Patrick said. "If I get into a car accident you will be like a loose cannon flying into some one's car."

I buckled myself up.

"Are we going now?" I asked.

Patrick pressed a button and then the vehicle started.

"Electric hybrid."

"Expect me to understand what that is?"

"Why yes."

"I do not understand. I am not of your world."

Patrick drove down the street.

"What is the war like?"

"We may be ending it . . . "  I said, looking up toward the night sky. I saw the image of the engineers shoving out the M continuum nearly getting there. "I should be there . . . But then I will be a easy target. My first could have been changed my  mind to die  by the hands of a foe and my second  . . . I don't know what is the point of seeing my three could have beens. The first was Picard, the second was Kathryn, and the last two are a human and another human  with curly ears."

"Hm . . . The five people you meet in heaven." Patrick said.

"Huh?" I looked over to the terran.

"There was a programme called the five people you met in heaven." Patrick said.

I raised a eyebrow.

"Heaven . . ." I said. "What is that?"

"It is where the good souls go and come  from." Patrick said.

"You are so sure about what happens after death," I said. "And for that I envy you." I leaned back into the seat. "A Q has three could have beens. They appear at the point where death is close and imminent. Time becomes slow. So very slow. All in a second they look back at their life at what they have done.  The first could have been is someone they could have become very close to, the second being someone they could have befriended, and the third may be someone who is connected to someone the Q knows."

"Sounds a lot like the five people you meet in heaven." Patrick said.

"Explain the concept to me." I said.

"Every difference in your life affects someone else; it is the five people you touched in your lives through parents, someone else you knew, you touching other peoples lives, and someone connected to you," Patrick said. "It is a very good programme."

I slowly nodded.

"Hmm. . ." I said, turning my head away.  "That is interesting."

"You are in New York New York,Q," Patrick said. "You _are_ the most interesting person in the city."

I had a dull look at Patrick.

"On the contrary: no," I said. "I only know war. I have forgotten what it means to be a Q . . . Maybe I should retire after the war."

"Don't retire." Patrick said.

I sighed.

"There is nothing left to do after winning the war." I said.

"You have repairs to do," Patrick said. "If I am correct there could be extensive damage in space due to the war you are having."

I had a surprise reaction on my face.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"John and I had a conversation one time regarding what would happen if a Q died a couple years back,"  Patrick said. "Stars going supernova. That makes the Q sound like suns." He looked over to me. "You have avoided my question about your war,Q, and I would be honored to hear it from the genuine source."

I smiled.

"Right," I said. "I am the legit source. . ." I had the icy bag pressed along my head. "Every day Q die. Every day I see less of my friends returning from the battle front. Every day I see my friends die. Every day a galaxy dies. Every day a planet is taken over a supernova because of a stupid war between continuums. Every day I put my neck out. Every day we take shelter. We used to hide in the desert from the M. It was a grueling day. We were very, very, very far away from ground zero. You see the M had blasted us away. The M had been making themselves at home." I covered my mouth trembling feeling a sad but despair feeling coming through followed by the thought: _I am sorry Q, she didn't make it_. "No!"

She.

As in.

Lady Q.

Patrick came to a screeching stop.

"What is it?"  Patrick asked.

"Lady Q," I said. "No!" I bang on the board using my fist and into my free hand hunched over. "No, no,no,no, she couldn't be."

"I am sorry, Q." Patrick said, in a soft voice.

I looked over.

"We . . . we . . . we used to be engaged . . . until the war started," I said. "We  broke it off."

"Do you need me to wait?" Patrick asked, concerned.

"No, just . . ." I wiped off my tears. "Just continue. Please."

I composed myself.

"Anyway," My voice was cracky. "War and seriousness aside, I had no time to play. I devoted most of my life to the war. I obeyed orders up to a certain point. I wouldn't leave one friend behind because it was better than nothing. I never leave one of my own behind, you see, it is a thing of honor and respect on my end. To me being a Q means to defend the home land as much as I possibly can, save the lives of fellow Q,and fight against the M." I looked over to Patrick. "What do you call your version of Q?"

"I call him Q, the explorer," Patrick said. "John mostly bases his Q off Loki. He thinks of Q as a teacher. One who wisely chooses who to visit, who is worthy of his time, and whether or not it is right for him to visit." Patrick looked over toward me. "John calls him: Q, the teacher."

I laughed as Patrick turned his head back toward the road.

"Something that I _never_ will become." I said.

"Don't say that." Patrick said.

"I have not learned anything in my millions of years alive," I said. "But I am learning new things over this new experience."

"Which is what?" Patrick asked.

"That your version of me is better," I said. "That is basically it. He has more. . ." I looked down toward my hand. "Morals."

"Q," Patrick said. "You are the same person no matter how different you are. Not because of the face. It is the person inside who counts."

"You sound a lot like Picard," I said. "For a man who is an actor. . ."

Patrick laughed.

"Jean-Luc was born in the 24th century," Patrick said. "In Le barre,France. I was born in the United Kingdom."

"What century am I in?" I asked.

"The 21st century." Patrick said.

I saw a oncoming truck from Patrick's window with two blaring pairs of lights headed this way.

I had to make a major decision then. 

To interfere or not to interfere?

What would Q do?

He was described as a trouble maker for short.

A rule breaker.

A liar.

I could foresee a major accident that makes the vehicle become twisted beyond repair followed by flipping and crashing against poles. Patrick wouldn't even know he died, and so many people would mourn for him.The whole world would be set into mourning. Shootings would stop until two years later where they begin all over again. The truck driver committed suicide in his jail cell after learning he had killed the legendary actor. Images and literature would pay tribute to him but most importantly the grief would be astounding. There would be specials made in his honor the day afterward where it becomes public. It would be as though the world became slow to everyone who knew him. Thousands of people would attend his funeral. Even . . . a older man who resembled the young blonde man beside the curly eared man. In that vision I saw a man who had resemblance to me but he looked . . . far older as he stood over the grave then placed down a rose and walked away. His eyes were buckets of water in a sense.  I realized then that was John de Lancie.

I have to break a rule.

Patrick must live.

Not die because of me.

I snapped my fingers.

The vehicle was out of the truck drivers way in a white flash and reappeared in the further lane ahead.

I sighed, relieved.

"Q, what did you do?" Patrick asked.

"I saved your life." I said.

"Q. . . You should have let me die." Patrick said.

I shook my head.

"No," I said. "You would have been greatly missed. You can die but not because of me."

Patrick raised a eyebrow.

"So you do know things." Patrick said.

"Of the future, why yes," I said. "But no spoilers for you. The future is re calculating."

"Recalculating." Came a female voice.

Patrick laughed.

"Siri, off." Patrick said.

There was a beep.

"I told you that you are the same person," Patrick said. "You do have morals."

"In a nutshell," I said. "War is hell."

"War is hell." Patrick nodded.

I watched the time on the radio change during our conversations. It turned out Patrick was really interested about some of my war stories so I told him. Patrick commented that my stories made him feel like he was really there witnessing the events going on for his own eyes and ears.  I felt pride at my narrative  so I continued. Some of the stories were difficult to tell but they had to be told. Someone had to remember the Q who died. Some one to mourn them. Patrick was a very good listener to my war stories that were quite remarkable. All of the stories were true. Every single one.

The street lights passed the vehicle.

I saw some stray animals on the street,people in big coats sitting against the wall, some of these people had carts and wore big baggy gloves. I felt sad for these people. In the continuum we didn't have any of that. We had one place to return to and feel comfortable.  Feel at peace. Before the war had started: of course. I watched the green numbers flip during my narrative. One by one they changed. I spent two hours talking about the war.

I stopped talking about the war when we came closer to central park.

I lowered the ice bag then made it vanish with a snap of my fingers.

The back of my head still ached.

I will live.

There was yellow tape in the way along with police cars, armored trucks, fire trucks, and helicopters flying over. I could see the stars still glinting in the dark sky above. The moon was out there. I unbuckled as did Patrick. I was the first one to get out in order to join the crowd of on lookers.  There were men in blue uniforms standing guard preventing people from coming through. Patrick grabbed me by the left shoulder stopping me from going any further. I turned in the direction of the terran.

"Q," Patrick said. "These are the police. You do not want them to be your enemy."

I smiled.

"I have no enemies, Patrick," I said. "I have been _too busy_ in a war to make enemies."

"You are on my planet," Patrick said. "Do not get their attention."

"I promise!" I lied, with my hand behind my back with two fingers twisted. "I won't."

Patrick let go.

"I believe you." Patrick said.

I grinned.

"Good progress we are making here," I said. "I can tell we'll get along easily when I can come back willingly."

I approached the tape lined with people.

"What is going on over there?" One man asked.

"I wanna see!" A teenager said.

"I heard there was a jet crash." A woman said.

"I heard a UFO crash landed here." Another person said.

"I saw a UFO crash land while walking my dog." A dogwalker said.

I faked a cough, multiple times.

Everyone faced my direction.

"But there is one question you should be asking," I said, noticing some people held their flat devices at my direction. "What caused that crater? I am Q of the Q continuum. You are humans of the planet dirt. Now,I am fully obligated to tell you that is a perception projection that is a message for the one and only, Q. Me." I tapped on my chest. "Now, you might be thinking why do I look younger and why do I wear a strange uniform? I will only say this: I am part of a _continuum war_. Do not ask me about any questions. I do not know about Star Fleet, The _Enterprise_ , and The _Voyager_. Well, you cannot ask as you are on the other side of the screen. What caused that crater? A explosion. Maybe from me? I don't know.  Well, really, I do know. It was from me. I believe  the crater is a dirt worm hole that sends the contents in different areas just hours away from the hole itself." I shook my hands. "I do not know why I was chosen to land here. . ."  I paused. _Acceptance. . . possibly._ "Maybe I do."

I looked in the direction of the light over the hill made by the helicopters.

I turned my attention to the screens.

"I am sorry but I do not have enough information to assure you it will be okay," I said. "I don't have reassurance it is going to be okay for me here on out. Bye."

I went right under the tape leaving the people stunned.

Some people immediately set the video online.

"Sir, stop!" The police officer said, coming in my direction.

"No, you stop." I said, staring at his direction.

The police officer fell back frozen.

"Q!" Patrick shouted. "You promised!"

I walked forwards in the direction of the crater with my hands in fists.

"Sir, freeze!" Another officer said, holding a . . . It looks like a phaser.

I had a flash back. 

You know, a figment of the past coming to?

"Q!" Patrick shouted.

Terrified I sent a wave of water in his direction and turned the gun into a baby bear.  The man's body struck against a tree while the parentless bear cub went away. The man's body landed on the grass. Patrick was calling me out. I didn't look back. I saw strays of bullets headed my direction so I did nothing but walk. The bullets landed on the ground intact. I sent the humans colliding against each other knocked out on the ground.  I leaped over the edge then my feet slid down.

I heard men aim their guns at my direction.

"I am here!" I said, coming over to the perception projection.

I could see in my mind that Kathryn had been digging a hole  with a heavy machine embedded beside her along with some other people.

"Fire!" I heard a woman's shout.

"Don't shoot Q!" Patrick shouted, as they fired. 

I turned my head in their direction, held my hand out, and summoned my celestial energy turning the nine bullets into Buffalo. 

"You should listen to Patrick," I said. "Or else I will turn you into mermen without the intention of _ever_ changing you back."

They were in dark attire with red lights coming out of their weapons.

I turned back in the direction of the perception projection.

"Hey Q." Came a familiar voice. . . That was M. "You really planning to leave just like that?"

I turned in the direction of M.

"You. . ." I said. "You orchestrated this!"

Everyone was frozen save for us.

"Ah no," M said. "I just came here to finish you off." She held her hands out. "Ready to be assassinated?" A grin spread on her petite face.  "You _never_ were meant to go home."

"You make me sound terran." I said.

"Oh," M said. "My bad." She puffed some hair out of her face. "That android has been rubbing off on me and taking your place has been a headache. . . dispatching my version of Picard was _soo easy_."  She made a dramatic yawn. "Including not saving his life. All I had to do was stand there." I stared at her. "Oh right, you don't care about him. That makes it less fun. You have a poker face."

"That's because I am mute on him." I said.

"Well, I got myself an enemy afterwards," M said. "That Riker fellow. Bitter enemy with him. But Amanda. . .  Oh she knew. . .She knew it was my fault and that's how I got ratted out." M shook her head. I had my hands up in self defense. "Shielding yourself is not going to do yourself any good, Q, haven't you realized that?"

I narrowed my eyes toward M.

"I won't die." I said.

"Yes, you will." M said.

"I won't die." I said.

"YES, YOU WILL." M said.

"I most certainly will not. I am Q, the fighter. The one who is beloved to the continuum. And if you kill me . . . That will only make the Q more determined to split our continuums apart once more. My death will not be in vain because every Q can see this. Every single human with a television on the news channel is watching this: **LIVE**!" I gestured over to the moving helicopter flying above us and the drones with camera lenses hovering above M's head. "You are the idiot!" The drones were circling us. "Humanity will never forgive you for killing a fan favorite. _Ever_. You will be written off as the evilest villain in the universe. **Pure**. **Rotten**. **Evil**." I stepped forward. "Go ahead. Kill me. Get the M continuum on the map. Get the remaining Q on your back. But know this. . ." I step forward with a dark expression. "You will _never_ be forgiven."

I unfroze everyone in their places.

"I am waiting." I said, with my hands behind my back.

M lowered her hand.

"You are so obnoxious." M said.

I snapped my fingers.

"Oh, I am just very right."  I said, looking over to the black hole behind M then back to her. "Bye-bye."

I tipped M in.

"QUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" M shouted, falling in.

I snapped my fingers.

The black hole vanished in a white flash.

"Freeze!" The men shouted.

"No, how about you freeze?" I glared at them and then they were frozen. "Frozen by the bell."

I shrugged.

"By the way Patrick," I added. "I won't be coming back. You are already on a adventure. And I will not take you off that."

"Don't come back, Q!"  Patrick shouted.

"I won't, I swear." I said, with one hand behind my back with two fingers crossed.

"No, really, **DON'T**!" Patrick shouted.

I looked over seeing jets headed this way with missiles. 

"Oh." I said. 

I turned away then went on the merry path of approaching the perception projection.

Shortly after entering the image of the Voyager; I saw a hole leading down further.

"Q!" I heard Kathryn.

I smiled.

Road trip!

So I dove into the hole and fell. . . Where it all became darkness to me.

**KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.**

All I could feel was the ground trembling.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

People believe that I, Q, have a knack for trouble. Truly, that is not the case. I can reassure you of that. I can be on my best behavior. I can. I looked back at what good I had done. I saved Kathryn Janeway's life not once but twice and I saved Patrick Stewart once.  I slowly begin to hear voices. My eyes struggled to open hearing unfamiliar technology sound.

"He has four broken ribs, shattered humerus, a broken radius, fractured ulna, a cranium that has shattered patterns, a sprained ankle, his metacarpus were nearly gone but returnable, his phalanges bone section were the only parts of the fingers that remained, and it is a miracle his heart is still beating after his shoulders had been dislocated including a squeezed trachea," Came a male voice somewhere in his forties. "Captain, it is a miracle we found him when we did. He shouldn't be alive."

"He is nothing short of a miracle, Doctor," Kathryn said. "He is Q."

"But Captain, it will take months for his recovery to be completed before he wakes up," The Doctor said, uncertain. "Q would never get hurt."

"But he did, this time." Kathryn said.

"Captain, can I voice my concern about this?" The doctor asked.

"Permission granted." Kathryn said.

"That might not be Q." The Doctor then left.

Kathryn faced my direction. 

"I know you can hear me . . ." Kathryn said. "But you took my hand and I promised you, after you were out, not to tell my Q about you. I won't tell him."

_Thank you._

Then I couldn't hear anything again. But I could feel a fabric around my face. A white tough fabric meant to keep most of my facial bones in place. I had to focus my Q energy on it. This was strange to be treated as a terran. I was a Q after all! I was nothing short of vulnerable at all! Indestructible. Threatening when needed. And . . . all knowing?  I think I am getting the knowledge of Q-ness once more. It is coming back gradually. Perhaps this is a  . . . gradual . . . A gradual 3 step recovery. Much like a 3 step program to help someone get off an addiction.

Kathryn believed me.

 _Hope_.

Patrick believed me.

 _Trust_.

I wonder what my third guest appearance 'could have been' people stands for.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Months passed.

I am aware of that.

My eyes finally opened. My skin felt free. I heard voices from all around me. I heard a gasp seemingly from 'The Doctor' and a "It is Q."

"Hello," I said, with a grin. "I am Q. Your name?"

"Medical Emergency Holoprogram." The Doctor said,.

"I will call you Joe," I said, pushing myself upright. I felt. . . a rumbling in my stomach. "What is going on in my stomach?"

"You are starving, Q." The  Doctor said.

I looked at the Doctor with raised eyebrows.

"Wait, I am?" I said.

The Doctor nodded.

I lowered my eyebrows.

"Yes, and you haven't eaten in months." The Doctor said.

I snapped my fingers making a tray appear with extravagant food.

"I will indulge myself." I said.

"I want to know how you do that." The Doctor said.

"Do what?" I ask, deadpanned.

"Making random things appear." The Doctor said.

"Pure thought,Joe," I said, tapping on the side of my right temple. "I think and it appears."

The Doctor just stared at me.

"Pure. . . thought." The Doctor repeated.

"Yes." I said.

"Interesting." The  Doctor took out a pad and started to take down notes.

I looked at the holoprogram strangely then ate my long expected breakfast. Shortly after finishing breakfast I snapped my fingers making  the mess vanish.  My hands had been fully healed. I also noticed I was in a enclosed room with technology about the room. The colors were bright while some of them were dull. The Doctor walked back into the room with a young man. The young man stopped with eyes wide.

"You . . ."  The man said. "You left us years ago!"

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Tom, Tom Paris." Tom said.

"Tom, this is our patient," The Doctor said. "The one who's  not going to need any check ups."

"What year is it?" I asked.

"2380," Tom said. "And we have yet to get back from the Delta Quadrant! Why don't you help us for once?"

I snapped my fingers.

I reappeared into the ready room of Kathryn in the captain's chair.

"Q, get out---" Kathryn stopped in her tracks. "Q?"

"You should have used the get away your future self offered," I said. "I know the future and the past now!" I stood up angry. "I don't want to interfere with your affairs but this?" I pointed off into space. "This screams for me to interfere!" I shook my left hand up and down above the table while my right hand was on the desk. "I am taking you back into the Alpha Quadrant." I reappeared right beside her. "But this one I have to do before I 'help' you."

"Q--"

I hugged Kathryn with my hands wrapped around her back.

"Thank you for believing in me." I whispered into her ear.

I unwrapped my arms around her back then stepped away.

"You are welcome." Janeway said, softly.

I snapped my fingers. 

The Voyager flew sideways through the reaches of space, against the gravity of space, taking the occupants affected by it almost falling or sliding or struggling to stand up by grabbing onto the nearest furniture. I materialized the two of us on the bridge shocking the one and only Tuvok. Tuvok's mind was screaming 'This is not logical' with my arrival. I stared back at the elf eared being wondering how it is not logical. There was something that made my presence impossible for everyone else. I snapped my fingers stopping the Voyager. It stopped hours away from the planet dirt. 

"We. . ."  Chakotay was stunned.

"Are in the Alpha Quadrant." A younger man with dark hair said.

I heard a door open.

It was the turbo lift that had opened where there was a bright light.

"That is my ride." I said.

"Oh my god, that is a officious uniform!" The young pale man said as I went past him.

"Suck it." I retorted.

I walked into the light.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I came to a grassy clearing where the sky was white. So very white.  I wonder if it is being racist because blue is a terrible color and white is preferable. I brushed my hands against a tree bark to a tree right by my side. I looked over my shoulder to see the door leading to the _Voyager_ had vanished. _How odd_ , I noted.  I noticed there was a field of grass that was very short. It was very peaceful here. Not a sign of death could be seen. I saw a mountain behind the massive rows of trees.

In the middle of the clearing was a acceptance box.

It was huge.

Huge as in . . .  The  Allspark.

It was spinning on its axis on a gray flat of rock slowly.

"The acceptance box . . . " I said, in shock stepping forward.

The acceptance box is a rare find.

A far cry from being lost.

It made sense now.

The acceptance box is all part of this.

I don't know what I will do but I need to start saying what I accept as of today.

"I accept . . ." I said. "That I need to befriend other inferior beings."

The acceptance box spun faster.

"I accept . . ." I said. "That rules are made to be broken."

Now it was spinning much faster.

"I accept!" I raised my voice. "That **I AM Q**!"

The acceptance box made a gravel sound  followed by a distinctive dark hole the size of a door at the edge that was consistent to be seen while it spun.

What was going to come out?

I didn't know.

The tale of the acceptance box goes that when someone admitted something very important than something very important comes out of it.

 _Do not run in the presence of the acceptance box_ , I told myself.

A very familiar figure in a jumpsuit flew on out.

"Picard?"  I yelped.

I crash landed to the floor getting hit square at the chest by the flying man.

I turned the man over taking in deep breaths hearing him groan.

Picard sat upright rubbing the side of his head.

"My head, it hurts." Picard complained.

I got upright snapping my fingers summoning a ice bag.

"Ice bag?" I offered.

Picard looked toward my direction with wide eyes.

"No," Picard said. I snapped the ice bag away. "And where were you for the past day?"

I raised a eyebrow.

"It has not been a day, my terran,"  I said. "It has been twelve months for me. I have met Kathryn, who has recently been returned to the Alpha Quadrant, and came across a world where--" I stopped myself. "No. I can't tell you that," I cleared my throat. "I have been taken down by roots, shot at by phaser like devices, and almost certainly died due to missiles! This is unfathomable!"

Picard laughed.

"You are omnipotent," Picard said, masking his disbelief. "You cannot die. Last I saw, you have skin of steel."

I blinked staring at the bald man.

"How do you know I have skin of steel?" I asked.

"Well. . ." Picard said. "Q took me to a visit on  Earth in the 20th century."

". . . Earth?" I said.

"My home planet." Picard said.

"Ah, terra." I said.

Picard looked at me oddly. 

"You are strange to be a counterpart of Q." Picard noted.

I grinned.

"Why thank you," I said. "I take pride in that!"

I stood up.

"What do you call yourself now?" Picard asked.

I closed my eyes sensing the wars status.

"Indecisive." I said.

I reopened my eyes.

"You can't decide?" Picard said. "Usually Q _can_ decide."

I turned myself toward Picard then held my hand out.

"Need some help up?" I asked.

Picard took my hand then got up.

"As I was saying," Picard said. "Q popped up when you would least expect him."

"Where was it?" I asked.

"In a bank robbery," Picard said. "He pops in and out randomly during his rotten games." I had curious eyes. "So they shot at him. All of the bullets just crushed when hitting your skin and fell to the floor. You nearly emptied them out when you replenished them! That wasn't right for you to do that, Q!" He shook his fist at me. "You are responsible for the death of five people because of that. Did you pause to realize that before you interfered?"

I frowned.

"You make me sound like a idiot, Picard." I said.

Picard paused.

"That . . . That I am." Picard said.

"Am I that much of a idiot?" I asked.

Picard stared at me for the longest while as though processing my response time using a old and aged machine.

"Not all the time." Picard finally said.

"You are choosing your words with me, why?" I asked. "I request you be honest with me."

"Your other self is unpredictable," Picard said. "He can do anything that make me regret what I say."

I snickered.

"How often did you regret what you say to him?" I asked.

"A few years ago: it was half the time." Picard said.

I had a good laugh.

"Poor you." I said.

And then I saw a white entrance wound making its way through Picard's chest. It had been a flying dark ball. _No!_ , I thought, _this is not fair!_ I shouted reaching my hand out  to catch the captain's fall. My right hand was behind  his back. My face had turned white. The flying ball did not exit his body as it did to Q. I lowered the captain down to the grass looking at him in horror. I snapped my fingers getting rid of the headache. My fault. My fault. My fault. I looked over seeing a small group of M's armed with elongated rifle versions of phasers. My hands were trembling. I didn't like it when I trembled. Not in the eyes of the M.  I hated when I trembled in the M's presence.

"Q, we got you surrounded!" Sir M called. "Time for you to give up!"

"Q. . . don't." Picard said.

"No,no,no!" I repeated,using my hand as a pressure point on his injury.

Blood was staining the skin on my Caucasian fingers to the palm.

"Q, I said: GIVE UP!" Sir M shouted.

I shook my head, now having a rag pressed against the wound on Picard's chest. I was trembling. I did not want to lose him! The war cannot take this life, just this once, let him live! I have seen too many people die under my watch. I repeated to myself 'He is going to live, he is going to leave, he is going to live' over and over. Though it wasn't doing much of a reassurance. The rag was getting stained in blood. Red soaking cellular waste. I had slow panicked and wet breathing.

"Never," I replied. "I will never give up!"

With a thought my hands were clean as was the rag.

"Oh, why don't you get into the box of darkness?" Another M asked. "Gets done what we want."

I looked over seeing a white hole into the acceptance box.

"I see a white entrance." I said.

"I see a black entrance." Sir M said.

"No, I agree with Q, there is a white entrance." Picard said, as my hand was trembling. I slid my other hand from under his back.  ". . . Q. . .  It is not your fault." I heard the other M laugh at me. "Now go show them who you are. _Go._ Go into the door."

"I. . ."  I said, shaking my head. "I am not leaving a dying man here."

"Yes. . ." Picard said, taking out something. "You are."

Picard aimed a phaser at my face.

My eyes widened.

And then I was suddenly in the beginning of the war running, confused, and scared. I saw my friends falling right before me. I could sense there were M. I recall seeing the entrance of a phaser facing my face after I crashed into the mud face first. It was my arch enemy M at the time. The red head, you know? That was the day several Q and I were sent far, far, far,far,far,far,far,far,far,far,far,far,far, far away from our continuum. That was also the day she smacked me with the phaser at the side of my face knocking out cold.  I stepped back  horrorfied.

I was so scared.

"Go into the darkness and never come out!"

"Yeah, coward!"

My eyes were focused on the phaser.

It was all a blur, really. 

All I could see were phasers in my direction. 

I could remember the sound of cannons against my ears on that fateful day. The war horn being blown. Q were panicking. I was the one who stood in place staring at the impossible. The M and Q continuum had merged together. It had recently rained that day. I don't know why the weather suddenly rained but it just did. It started raining then getting everything wet. That was the day my life time was ruined. Forever burned if you will of any chance acting as a Q.

I landed flat on a stair.

A stair has a flat surface with a abrupt ending being long and singular.

My hands felt another stair behind me.

I didn't see anyone's face.

They were just blury.

I could see zipping light when there should not be.

The exchange of phaser fire.

That actually might be from the past.

"Go,Q!" l heard Picard.

I turned around hearing the laughter of the M.

"Stay and he dies!" Sir M said. 

"He will kill me anyway, just _GO_!"  Picard shouted.

I went up the stairs feeling stinging moisture in my eyes then suddenly fell into the white hole.

I didn't know where I was headed to.

Perhaps it will be better than this.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I walked into a circular room where there were people. The room was trembling. I saw a grinning man leaning over the rails tapping his fingers merrily on them. I had no idea who this man was. I could tell that everyone was in great peril including the pointy eared being and the blonde haired man. He looked over his shoulder toward my direction to which his reaction becomes pale, scared, and shocked. Genuine shock.

"Father!" The man said, straightening up. "What are you doing here?"

I snapped my fingers wondering whatever their peril was. 

"If you were my own I would know already," I said. "Who are you?"

"Trelane, remember?" Trelane asked, stunned. "Squire of Gothos? Former general, now retired?"

I shook my head.

"I never once heard of you before," I said. "And who are those two gawking at me?"

Trelane shook his hand.

"That is  Commander Spock and Captain Kirk." Trelane said.

I looked at the frozen man in a blue uniform.

"Hmm. . . The name fits him." I said.

"Father, you shouldn't be here," Trelane said. "I just had to freeze time for you and now I must erase this occasion from their memory."

I snapped my fingers making time resume.

"Trelane, doesn't it occur to you that I am not your father?" I asked.

Trelane gawked at me.

"But you _are_ my father!" Trelane insisted. "Mother said so herself!"

"Hello, I am Q," I faced toward the men tapping on my chest.  "And I am his father." I swayed my hand. "I am a Q and so is he," I gestured over to Trelane. I faced toward Trelane with a serious expression. "Now how does _that_ sound coming the-man-who-is-not-your-father?"

Trelane looked at me in such despair.

For a moment there I saw some of my youth in his face.

"Father, you just ruined your first meet with your toy!" Trelane said.

And I slapped Trelane so hard I sent him crashing to the ground.

"Don't you dare call those terrans toys," I said, shaking my index finger at him in anger. Trelane stared at  me rubbing the side of his face. "Besides, that wasn't enough to send you falling."

"Q?" Kirk said. "Q as in . . .  Trelane's father? The entity who saved my life?"

I turned toward the terran's direction.

"I am not that man," I said. "I am sorry but I never saved your life."

"Excuse me," Spock said. "But it seems you just did."

"How?" I asked.

"You stopped Trelane from sending us into what can only be described as an uncertain fate speeding through the galaxy, engines at their maximum, and being toyed with by a spoiled brat," Spock said. "You stopped that from happening."

Trelane teared up.

"I . . . I am . . . I am telling mother about this!" Trelane said.

In a loud boom Trelane vanished off the ship.  I looked around to notice how sophisticated it appeared to be. How out of this universe it seemed to be. The machines were totally unique. They reminded me of inferior technology.  The African American woman remarked, "Why, that was . . . interesting."

"Agreed." Kirk said.

"May I tour your ship, captain?" I asked. "I promise, I will be on my best behavior."

Kirk nodded.

"Do not mess with my crew, is that understood?"

"I understand."

"Good."

"I will leave afterwards, but I can't say the same for the future captains who come across me."

I snapped my fingers.

I took a long and silent stroll through the starship. Deck after deck. They were not enough to remind me of what I had lost and caused to loss. I caused my other self to possibly, quite possibly, lose someone he did care about dearly. I knew Picard had recently passed out due to blood loss.  I knew that Q was dead. So I put my back to the wall, slid down, and cried into my hands. I cried for all those friends I had lost. Stupid war. Why must all this happen? Why is this Star Fleet so important to be connected to my life?

"Why?" I cried. "Just why?"

I wanted to crush a entire world.

"Why did I have to get a terran involved?" I asked myself.

I wanted to burn a entire solar system out at this rage.

"Hello?" Came the voice of a man.

I looked up to see a Asian man looking down toward me.

"Hello," I said. "I am Q."

The man sat down beside me.

"I am Hikaru Sulu,but everyone calls me Sulu," Sulu said. "What are you crying about?"

"War, human." I said.

"War . . .  I have heard it is a nasty thing." Sulu said.

"It is," I said. "And I lost someone dear to me . . . It felt like it happened yesterday when it happened one year ago!"

I cried into my hand.

"There,there," Sulu patted my shoulder. "It is all right. I don't think they would want you to be still grieving over them."

My eyes were glassy.

"I still feel for her," I said. "We were . . " I sniffled. "Engaged . . .Until the war started. I never stopped loving her, you know that? I tried not to feel hurt and betrayed when I was around her, to be around her was being around a forbidden fruit, the whole world was clear to me, and there was peace around her. . . We talked about giving it a another shot when the war ended. . . Now we will never get that shot!" I put my face into my arms that were folded on my knees. "Never!"

Sulu took his hand off my shoulder.

"I am so sorry," Sulu said. "Mr Q. My condelscenses for your loss."

I looked up with red eyes.

"I also could be responsible for the death of a human if I am right," I said, clearing my throat. "He wasn't supposed to get shot. He wasn't. I was. I was the one who should have been shot. It should have been _me_."

Sulu handed me a handkerchief.

"Thank you." I said.

I blew my nose into the handkerchief.

"You are welcome," Sulu said. "What kind of planet are you from?"

"I am from a continuum, Sulu," I said. "A different version of it, though. We are responsible for the new stars being made, the planets being able to exist, star dust being created, wormholes, black holes, you name it! We made it." I folded the handkerchief then dapped at my eyes. "It is called the Q continuum.  Your version of me . . . oh boy. . . he is somewhere out there doing Q knows what."

Sulu appeared to be interested.

"Interesting," Sulu said. "I am talking to a godly being."

And I read his thought.

"I am not here to cause any harm," I said. "Mr Sulu . . . I am taking a tour." I snapped my finger cleaning the handkerchief up. "Here . . ." I handed it back to the man. "I don't know why I am here but I am certain to discover the reason behind it."

I stood up then walked past the man.

"Sorry, you had your mind open to me," I said. "I do not recommend befriending me, Mr Sulu, if you want to live a very long and rich life."

I put both hands into my pocket then walked past Sulu.

I had my head lowered, depressed, mostly sulking.

I closed my eyes playing out what could have happened on Alternate Earth.

_I could have not saved Patrick's life._

_I could have vanished out of his car, stayed out side, watching the events unfold. Watching the semi-truck smack hard into the drivers seat which initiates a spinning and rolling reflex. The semi-truck catches on fire but the driver gets out._ _The darkness in the scenery contrasted against the red, orange, and  yellow flames going up into the night sky._

_KABOOM would have gone the semi truck  sending scrap metal in all directions._

_I could have walked over to see the vehicle had crashed into a pole._

_Wheels destroyed._

_Roof gone._

_Patrick's dead open eyes staring at  the  passenger seat._

_His head cracked in half._

_Half of his face missing._

And then I thought about Kathryn Janeway's could have been passing.

_My finger pressed against the phaser button._

_Several shots coming out._

_All firing in the direction of the M._

_The first shot would have hit her in the chest,  the head, and then she would have collapsed muttering my name._

I stopped at a wall then smash into it using my fist.

"THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED!" I said, taking my hand out of the hole.

I looked over my shoulder to notice I had gone through a couple decks.

I snapped my fingers  making the damage vanish.

"I should leave this dreary place." I noted.

I snapped my fingers thinking of a resort near the galactic barrier.

Nothing happened.

**Snap!**

Nothing happened.

**Snap!**

Nothing. happened.

"Yep," I said. "Stuck here."

I shrugged.

"I want to speak with this impostor more than you," I heard a familiar voice. "Trelane."

My voice.

"Q, but he looked a lot like you."

I snapped my fingers making myself invincible.

"Relax, Trelane, it is likely a shapeshifter."

"I still have a bruise on my face from the impostor."

"You probably deserved it."

"No, I didn't!"

Q laughed.

"You should stop lying and admit you did something to tick him off." Q said.

"I didn't really, I just told him that he messed up the timeline your toy is in." Trelane said.

I saw Q stop giving Trelane a dead glare.

"Did you just call Picard a toy?" Q said.

"No, I did not. I said friend not toy." Trelane said.

"Thought that's what  I heard."  Q said.

"Did you hear what Sulu said about him?" Trelane asked. "He practically sounded like a depressed version of you."

"I prefer to tune that part out." Q said.

"Someone you were engaged to and a human," Trelane said. "Maybe  . . . No. . . That is impossible! There cannot be two versions of you."

"Exactly," Q said. "I am not engaged nor am I holding a human in danger." He paused. "Excuse me Trelane, I have a persistent Number Two to attend to. Oh, I just rhymed!"

Q grinned, then he snapped his fingers and vanished in thin air in a white flash.

"Lucky Q." I muttered out loud.

Trelane turned white facing my direction, his eyes rolled, and he fainted landing on the ground.

**Snap!**

I reappeared on a white couch in a rather boring appealing room. Apparently I had reappeared in Captain Kirk's quarters as he was sitting down at a desk. Why here? Why of all random places did I get here?  I could have landed in the restroom. I could have landed in the garbage can. I could have been . . . Oh right this is a better destination.

"Q, get out of my room!"

I scoffled.

"Why you so rude?" I asked. "I landed here by accident."

Kirk stood up.

"I have been accused of lying,accused of seeing an image, and accused of wearing double glasses!" Kirk said. "I have no idea what double glasses are! But the majority of what you had to say is not very pleasant. You said you were not to cause any problems with me and my crew! So far  you have! You put us through an hour on a planet covered in snow that you told us is the planet of lies, well actually, the home planet of a liar. We each had to tell the truth in order to get out of there. That was wrong of you to do that to us! There are some truths that are not meant to be told!" He was steaming by that point. "Now get off my ship and never show your face again!"

I smiled, amused.

"I didn't do that," I said. "Why would I do that?"

"To double cross us." Kirk said.

"I am more paranoid than you are!" I stood up. My face turned into a serious expression. "Give me one good reason why I would _double cross_ you."

Kirk opened his mouth yet no words came out and so he closed it.

"Exactly," I said. "I have no reason to."  I folded my arms. "Now  I would appreciate a apology."

"No." Kirk said.

"No?" I repeated, standing up.

"No." Kirk said, again, firmly.

I came over to the desk.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you made this problem happen and I expect a apology from you." Kirk said.

"I would do that if it was," I said, bitterly. "Not my doing."

I suspected anyone can be a M in deep disguise and the M are behind this. Though I am slowly starting to think they are not responsible for the events occurring aboard . . . What is the name of this starship? I hadn't bother to ask around upon arrival. I unfolded my arms.

"What is the name of the starship?" I asked.

" _Enterprise_." Kirk said.

"So this is currently the 23rd century." I deduced.

"Uh huh." Kirk said, glaring at me.

I walked about rubbing the back of my neck.

"Can you at least apologize to me?" I asked, politely.

"No." Kirk said.

"You are not sure if this is a game of mine or not." I said.

"Affirmative." Kirk said.

I glared at him.

"I will teach you a lesson to apologize!" I said.

I snapped my fingers sending Kirk into a situation like mine on his ship. I sat down in the Captain's chair waiting and waiting. I even had some beverage. The beverage tasted a lot like lemonade. I tossed the drink over my shoulder smacking it against the wall. I put the cork into the material then put it back. I spun the chair in circles. I stared at the ceiling fumbling with my fingers anticipating for Kirk's arrival. I waited  for a couple hours.

Nine hours to be exact.

Kirk reappeared tumbling in through the door  with half his shirt torn.

"Q, I am sorry!" Kirk said, red faced and panting.

I smiled, getting up.

"Q, get out of my chair." Kirk said.

I laughed.

"Too slow,"  I said, walking around the desk. "I am glad you finally apologized."  I snapped my fingers. Kirk now had a green captain's tunic on. "Better, eh?"

Kirk frowned.

"Get out of my cabin,Q." Kirk said.

"As you wish." I said.

I snapped my fingers making myself appear in a unoccupied quarters.

Perfect place to go on the next level.

"I accept . . ."  I said. "That other civilizations need lessons."

**W---woosh**

The door across opened revealing a white doorway.

"Next level," I said. "Like a video game."

I walked through the doorway.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I landed face first on the ground with a thud.

"Ow."

I turned around and got half way up.

"Welcome, Q!"

I looked forward to see Sulu on a boulder playing a flute on the other side of the room where we were divided by a cliff side. We were on different sides of the cliff like arena. He lowered the flute with a little wave.  I looked around where I noticed I was in a cave that was very old and very unknown.  Which was strange because caves do not have cliffs. It was very deadly due to the human like remains all over the place. Some of them had swords, a few had phasers, there was armor discarded all over the place, aging fabric, and remains of a extravagant building  that had Roman columns. The one thing that caught my attention was the phasers. I got up then scrambled away hearing the cruel sounds of war. I could hear the long gone cries for help from my friends. The sound of bodies landing were evident to my ears. 

"Q," Sulu said. "Whatever you are seeing is not there!"

I didn't see him because of a memory that came back.

Naturally in the battlefield I can fight back with a phaser  . . . But right now I am very alone and very scared.

"Q!" Sulu shouted, now standing at the cliff side with the flute in his pocket.

The ground started to rumble beneath me.

"Earthquake!" Sulu shouted.

It became apparent by the sounds of cracking that the earth was moving and breaking apart beneath my feet.

I stood up. 

I then noticed that surrounding me were M phasers on the floor. 

Quite right, I was paralyzed seeing them. 

More reminders of war. This time I had the memory of  a retreat as we were cornered. I had to go back for Q2, one of my oldest friends. I went through the hail of M firing  for him.  I took his hand telling him, _"Today is not the day you die on me, Q!_ "  His face was mostly of shock. I forced Q up on his two feet then forced him to start running back to the retreating group. Funny how war tried to claim the lives of those I knew and I went in saving their asses. I wouldn't accept death. One time I went through a burning building to fetch Lady Q. I came out with Lady Q in my arms in the day of hell. That day of hell was in the beginning of the war. The day we decided to end our engagement. I still have the burn marks on my back for that heroin narrowing death experience.

"Q, take my hand!" Sulu shouted. "Your personal demons are in this cave!" I looked toward Sulu. "They are all in your head." Sulu had his hand outreached. "If  you let them win then you will die because of your inner personal demons!"

_Let me be brave._

Let me rave on how brave I am.

_Let me be brave._

Let me rave on how stupid death is.

_Let me be brave._

Let  me rave on how brave I am!

_Let me be brave._

Let me gloat about how easy it is not to die.

"Q!" Sulu shouted.

The ground gave out beneath my feet.

**Q, GO!**

I headed forwards. I saw that the ground was collapsing but as it did the phasers were being brought down. After every step the pieces of ground touched by my boot were outlined in a square then it gave out. It totally reminded me of a action sequence straight out of a movie where a character is running in a natural disaster sequence. I had to ignore the phasers. _Ignore them Q!_ ,I told myself focusing on Sulu's figure.

"Jump, Q!" Sulu shouted.

I was afraid of heights.

But I had to over come that.

"Jump if you want to live." I told myself.

I jumped at the edge of the falling cliffside reaching my arm out for the man as I fell down forwards as though I was sliding down a mountain. I closed my eyes bracing for impact. I am so going to die. I am so going to die. I am so going to die! But then I felt a hand grab my wrist. I opened my eyes then looked up to see Sulu standing there trying to pull me up. It was shocking. A terran trying to save my life? I was flattered.

"Nice catch, human." I said.

"Thank you," Sulu said. "I never tried catching. . ." He closed his eyes wincing pulling back. "A god before!"

I laughed.

"This is your first!" I said.

Sulu pulled me up four minutes later and  we were far from the edge.

"Thank . . . Thank you, Sulu," I said, with my hands on my knees. "How long were you here?"

"Probably a day," Sulu said. I raised my eyebrows. "I came to realization this place dealt with inner personal demons when I came across swords all over the place following me wherever  I went." I lowered my eyebrows. "I had to deal with my own demons. Once I won over them a random flute appeared and since then I have been playing it."

I nodded.

"Hm," I said. "I believe I know what is going on."

"What is going on?" Sulu asked.

I smiled.

"The war is going to end," I said. "And I am being prepared for life without war."

Sulu stood there for a while.

"So that war. . ." Sulu said, his eyes widened.

"Yes," I nodded. "I was telling the truth." I rubbed my shoulders standing upright. "It changes a man."

"Then I was brought here to tell you what to do." Sulu said.

I nodded.

"It seems so," I said. "Now . . . Getting back to your ship. . . That is a different story."

Sulu frowned.

"Q, you must know a way back."  Sulu said.

I sighed, nodding again.

"I am undergoing the acceptance treatment," I said. "I am the only one who can open a door back. "

". . . Acceptance treatment?" Sulu said.

"Admit a fact or a truth that I have learned," I said. "You can't open it. You are not a Q. It doesn't open to you."

"How do you open it?" Sulu asked.

"Say, 'I accept, that . . .'."  I said. "And then finish it off."

"I accept that my demons cannot control me." Sulu said.

No doors.

"My turn," I said, with a grin. "I accept that I cannot fear phasers in my every day life."

 Two door ways appeared.

One had a white entrance.

The second had a actual 21st century door with the words 'Mr Sulu' in yellow.

"You first,Hikaru." I said.

"No, you go first." Sulu said.

I frowned.

"I guarantee you, I am not going anywhere other than that white doorway." I said.

"Will I ever see you, this version, again?" Sulu asked.

I shook my head.

"I believe not."

"I am not going if you are not going."

"All right, how about we both go in both doors at the same time?"

Sulu paused.

"That is a good idea."  Sulu said.

"You go, I follow." I said.

Sulu went first and second went I.

"What are you going to do after the war is over?" Sulu asked.

"I haven't given it much thought on this adventure," I admitted. "Maybe . . .  Participate in the repairs being done in the universe that were suffered during our long war."

"That sounds like you will be at for awhile." Sulu said.

"Messes that are much longer than one Q take collective effort," I said. "More Q the merrier."

"How many of there are you?" Sulu asked.

I shrug.

"Not sure," I said. "With the war picking us off one by one . . . I don't keep track as I used to."

"How many of there were you in the beginning?" Sulu asked.

"Think millions." I said.

Sulu's eyes widened.

"That is a lot like a entire civilization." Sulu said.

"That is the equivalent of my race." I said.

"So there has to be a couple thousand hundred left." Sulu said.

"Likely." I nodded.

We came to the entrances of our doors.

"You first, Hikaru." I said.

"If we do come across each other . . . again," Sulu said. "In the far future; I expect you to bring a rare plant."

"You have yourself a deal," I said. "I will pop in when you least expect. You might not. It might be soon."

Sulu raised his eyebrows.

"Just not that soon." Sulu said.

Sulu opened the door and he went through.

I followed suit through my door.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The acceptance box exploded. I crash landed into the dirt holding a wide shard about the size of a door handle seen in the 21st century. I stood up noticing the M were frozen in time firing at Picard's unattended body. His eyes were closed. I felt dread. So much dread. I lowered my head getting up with a heavy sigh. It is my fault he was mortally wounded. I twisted the arm of the M making the next firing shots aim at their chests. I did this with much difficulty as moving an arm that was stationery is not so easy when it is a M. 

I came over to Picard then placed the flat wooden like piece on his chest.

I will blame myself if he died.

My other self would be outraged regarding his death.

I will never forgive myself in fact if he died because of me.

"I accept. . ." I said. "That  I will care about inferior beings."

The wound glowed dark turning into a circular version of itself then sunk into Picard.

"FIRE!" M shouted.

Picard's breathing returned but his uniform was still stained so I swayed my hand over his injury cleaning the wound up except . . . I left some of the injury behind for his medical professional to take care of. I sighed with much relief. I had successfully taken away the fatality aspect of the wound away. I felt happy, weight was gone off my shoulders, and my spirit high. I heard the sound of gasps. I looked over my shoulder to see the group had fallen to their knees covering their injury in shock. I raised my hand up preparing to snap my fingers.

"There is more where that came from." I said.

"You . . ." Sir M said. "Rotten fuel. You should be dead!"

I smiled.

"But I am not," I said. "I don't intend to die any time _soon_."

I snapped my fingers.

I reappeared in a much different room with automatic doors. I snapped my fingers, again, making Picard appear on one of those beds. This room reminded me of a sick bay from the _Enterprise_. I went over to the table then made a green soldier toy appear including a piece of paper. I had two words to write. With the time I have in this room that is all I can write. I jotted down the two words. I put down the pen making it vanish out of thin air. I heard the doors opening. I put down the paper then put the green army toy on the note pad. I then made myself invincible.

Then Q walked in with a man who had a beard and a young red headed woman behind him.

"See?" Q said. "There he is! Good as--" Q came to a stop  in front of the bed. "New."

Picard's uniform was stained.

"Q, what did you do to him this time?" The bearded man said.

"Nothing, Riker," Q said. "Absolutely nothing. I am in the dark as you are." Q went over to the table the table. "Oh, a gift for me?"  The red head took out a strange device coming over to the captain's side. Q picked up the two items.  "How gracious of Picard." Q smiled looking down. That smile faded and faded until all that was left was horror. "Nno. . ." His eyes widened. His mouth slightly opened. "Nononononono."  He dropped the green army toy to the floor getting  a death glare straight from Riker. I saw genuine fear in his eyes. "Not the original."

"Q, I hereby request you off this ship." Riker said.

"It. . . I . . ." Q was speechless. "It was my fault. All of it." He turned toward the red head. "I never expected this day to happen. I swear!"

The red head frowned.

"What happened to the captain?" The red head asked.

"He met the original me," Q said. "The one where my timeline branches off. Like a tree. I believe he is responsible for whatever injuries there is on Picard. It is my fault really just by knowing him. Believe me . . . Original versions have scarier timelines. Anything bad can happen. That's why I fear them."

"Q, get off this ship." Riker said.

"Why yes, Number Two."  Q said.

Q snapped his fingers and there he vanished. I picked up the toy then put it on the table. I looked over to see a white doorway. I looked over back in the direction of Picard and the red head. The red head said something to the bearded man but I didn't catch it. Q was right. My timeline is . . . it is scary. I closed my eyes picturing a war zone in the forest. Trees broken in half. Bloody bodies coating the floor. I was trapped by a dead body once, I had to pretend I was dead just to save my own life from the M. A Q was shot dead in the chest (and the forehead) then fell on me while the others were retreating. Q can hold their breath since we don't need to breath in our terran-like vessels.

Somehow I had a feeling this is a safer timeline.

"I am sorry." I apologized.

I knew this was the last door that lead to my universe.

So I went through it.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

My eyes opened  to a pain yellow sheet.

I heard voices.

I leaned forward only to feel a sharp pain in my elbows. I managed to prop myself up to see Q on the beds with their heads bandaged up so terran like. I knew for sure this was my reality. I felt my forehead to feel a hard  yet soft wrapping. What happened? I lowered my hand down to my side then notice there being nurses. I remembered meeting everyone else: Kathryn, Picard, Patrick, Sulu, Kirk,Spock,Trelane,Riker, and the red head lady.

"Don't move too fast." Came a woman placing her hand on my shoulder.

My left eye was covered.

"You were struck by a cannon," I recognized her as a Nurse M. "You were there during the resplitting of the continuum's.  You have been bedridden for a couple days. And you were reportedly chased by a group of M's. Your conscious was, in  essence, free flying without your vessel. You were very fortunate that your conscious wasn't destroyed."

My jaw dropped. 

But. . . But? But? . . . But?

"But . . .  but. . . . But. . ." I said.

"You are a very lucky Q," Nurse M said. "And the M who were responsible for this war starting . . .well. . .You killed them earlier." 

I sighed feeling a sharp pain in my chest.

"Did I step in a land mine?" I asked.

"No, I told you, you were hit by a cannon ball." Nurse M said.

"Well. . ." I said. "I find it hard to believe. . ." I shook my head.  "Feels like I stepped on a landmine."

Nurse M laughed.

"Why,  it feels that way," Nurse M said. "Due to the origin of your injuries, you've been having the liberty to be in  our continuum."

"Is there a treaty between the two continuum's?" I asked.

Nurse M went silent.

"No." Nurse M said.

"I do not want another war. Not ever. Not again." I said, with a shudder. "I lost too much."

"We all did." Nurse M said.

"What if we made a stake in there being war again?" I asked.

"War has its takes." Nurse M said.

"No, but what if . . ." I said. "Let me put this into context that you will understand. A hybrid, if you will, of the two omnipotent omniscient representing the peace we share. If one of the parents were to die by the hands of the other; war would be imminent. If both of the parents, really, were killed by the other force."

Nurse M had dark skin, dark hair that had some highlights, and her eyes were so beautiful. They were crystal blue. She had short dark hair that seemed to be highlighted. She had curvy thin eyebrows. She had a reasonable small nose. Her chin ended in a heart shape. Nurse M reminded me of someone I knew on the Q side long ago. Those eyes were so familiar. It is like I have seen them before a very long time ago.

Nurse M gasped.

"You are not . . ."

"I am proposing what I am proposing."

"But you don't have that support."

"I want you to consider it."

"You are wounded Q and you just woke up. Your sleep is talking."

"I know what I am saying and I strongly recommend you think about it."

Nurse M smiled a little.

"I will." Nurse M said.

She went to the other Q who was on a bed with her leg lifted up supported by blue fabric wrapped around a pole and she was covered in a white fabric except for her face. Her face was the only way I could distinguish their gender. Well,  many Q and M out there do not have a gender but we do have this itching feeling. This itching feeling? To chose one gender most of the time. The one we are most comfortable to be known by other species. Turning myself into a woman is a choice I am very reluctant on.

I slid down back into the bed straightening myself up.

It made sense.

Being ripped consciously out of a vessel can leave a entity naked to everyone.

 Just how long exactly was I running naked exactly?

In walked Q2 to the large and wide tent. He wasn't in the army uniform but in a different attire that I saw in the late 20th century: dark jacket, blue shirt, dark matching pants, dark shoes, and he had on a pair of glasses that could change the shade of the scenery. Light-time shaded glasses. I couldn't believe Q2 was dressed up like that. In the eons I have known  the man dressing up darkly is a entirely new subject. Q2 had a smile on his face.

"Hello Q!" Q2 said. "How was the road trip through acceptance?"

 Q2 came to the front of my bed.

"You orchestrated this!" I said. "That wasn't fair of you."

"Well, in a way it was," Q2 said. "You and your state of mind wouldn't be prepared for after the war, so I went on a search for the box of acceptance. I decided to help a friend, you of all, and never did I expect you to turn into a war hero!" My jaw fell. "That acceptance box is somewhere far, far, far away hidden from everyone. It'll only appear when needed. I found it at Antarctica Cu're on Chevrous Seven."

"War hero?" I croaked.

The tale of the acceptance box goes: when it is needed the most it will appear to someone in need, it will heal those with a part of itself after a truth has beeen told,provide several levels depending on the person's given situation that will be real where some of these levels entrance open once a truth or fact was admitted,and it will only operate its elaborate scheme when a very sensitive truth told is told.   What kind of sensitive truth did Q2 have? One that he kept so close and very privately that it must have been difficult to say.

Q2 nodded.

"You are in the running to be elected a judge among the other candidates," Q2 said. "There's a  chatter going around that M and Q are set to merge their Judge positions together so we can keep ourselves in line and  .  .  ." He looked both ways then back toward my direction. "There is set to be _four_ judges this time around."

"FOUR?" I repeated.

Q2 nodded.

"Two of each representatives: Q and  M," Q2 said. "We are going to try integrating our societies. . . But merging our continuums? That will happen . . ." Q2 sighed, shaking his head. "Never."

"Good riddance,"  I said. "That would be a cold day in hell I would set foot in that continuum again."

"Q," Q2 said. "You helped the Q split apart the Q continuum from the M by risking your conscious. We must get along with the M  in order to maintain this peace. Think you can do that? Get along with the  M Judges?"

I smiled.

"I can make it so."  I said.

"Get better, you hear?" Q2 said.

"Oh, I will," I said. "And Q. . . if there were to be a hybrid of both continuums . . . One that would spell war if the two agreeing parties were killed, would that possibly bring both societies closer together?"

Q2 took his glasses off.

"Quite possibly," Q2 said. "One that reconciles most Anti-Q campaigns that we are exact duplicates of them."

"There  is always going to be skirmishes after this but nothing major." I said.

"Nothing major, hopefully." Q2 agreed.

Q2 vanished in a white flash.

"I know you are there on the chair." I said.

The man who I had punched earlier reappeared without a flash in the chair.

"How could you tell?" Trelane asked.

"Because you are obvious." I said.

"Ha,ha,ha." Trelane faked a laugh.

"Why was it so important that  I not tell Kirk what we were?" I asked.

"Because in the future; Picard makes history," Trelane said. "And he befriends my father." He had his arms folded. "I really would have liked being in the loop." He had his boots on a desk balancing himself out quite well. "Knowing everything regarding my fathers sudden appearance aboard a _Enterprise_." Trelane rubbed his fingers together. "Picard discovered the Q, or, the Q discovered Picard. Whichever way you prefer to view it."

"So you are telling me that it was meant to be this way?" I asked.

"I forgot to tell them what I was, so my father jumped at the chance to not tell Kirk what he was and said 'We will tell them later'. Later he forgot about them!" He shook his hands. "Typical father. He forgot me in the land of the talking dinosaurs when I was a child."

I stared at him blankly.

"You don't know what dinosaurs are?" Trelane asked, his eyes widened.

I weakly shrugged.

"Never met them." I said.

"You have got to visit Earth one of these days,Q," Trelane said. "They are boring but they lead to the Q continuum's least annoying toys: the humans."

"Terrans." I said.

"Humans are a better name, I will say." Trelane said.

"That's what make our realities different,Trelane," I said. "I am not meant to know of this planet. Nor befriend any . . . I am going out on a limp but it is safe to say I shouldn't interact a lot with them."

" **You are wrong,Q**." Trelane said.

I frowned.

"I am not wrong, Trelane-who-was-never-born-in-my-reality." I said.

Trelane stood up.

"Q, if I am not correct," Trelane said. "You befriended some on your journey to your vessel!" He shook his hand with a sway. "Now look at these images!"

I saw my three could have beens.

"I didn't befriend Spock and Kirk." I said.

My three could have beens vanished.

"You _befriended_ a crew member,"  Trelane said. "That is progress." He shook his hand. "They all affected you in several ways that changed your perception on life.  Picard represented who you were, Kathryn brought you hope, and the Spirk duo made you realize that your inner demons are best to be fought over when you have to save your own ass and to start teaching lessons again!"

"Spirk. . ." I said.

Trelane held his hand up.

"Don't continue." Trelane said.

I tilted my head.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because it coming from you is frankly disturbing. I know what you are going to say." Trelane said.

 I had a short laugh.

"Ha. ha. ha." I said. "Very funny."

Trelane lowered his hand.

"I know my mother is dead in this timeline. She died long,long, long ago," Trelane said. "Finding this timeline wasn't easy. I have seen the horrors of it." He sighed. "I very much pity you and you make me appreciate the version of my father that I have. I should remember . . . It would have turned out a war where he died and I lived. . . and I would have inherited all his toys. First born inheritance." He cleared his throat then looked over to me. "Thank you for reminding me of that."

Trelane vanished in a white flash followed by a powerful force that made my bed tremble.

Nurse M came over with a new rolled up batch of cloth in her hand.

"Miss me?" Nurse M asked.

I smiled.

Back so soon.

"Felt like you were gone for a million years." I said.

Nurse M laughed.

"We have to wrap your head again with a new set," Nurse M reached her hand toward mine (Which I apparently realized had suffered several bad burns and other terrible inflicting injuries. "Q."

I took Nurse M's hand.

"There is a high chance we won't see each other after I am out of here." I said.

Nurse M smiled.

"You want to bet?" Nurse M asked.

"I am willing to," I said. "Someday there will be an M who will get a coalition and start a war again. I want peace as the next Q does." I let go of her small soft hand. "And I am in the running for Judgehood. You hear that? _Me_?" I pat on my chest in disbelief. "A judge? I suppose I am experienced enough for it. My interest lies with peace . . . and being a Q."

"Judgehood?" Nurse M said.

"Yes." I said.

"Why I know a M who will be part of the integrating Judges." Nurse M said.

"How close?" I asked.

"Brother." Nurse M said.

"Oh dear," I said. "Your family is everywhere."

"Not as much as it used to be." Nurse M said, in a low voice.

I could feel her pattern, her life energy, and so much of her characterisim at my fingertips. I could feel what made Nurse M . . .  herself. . . naked staring back at me. Well, it is more of a sense. I wanted to touch her again. I wanted to hold her and never let go. It was strange experiencing these feelings toward another entity that was not a Q. I can sense she is feeling the same way about me. I can feel the ember of her conscious burning in such color I cannot just describe it but taste it? Yes, I could. Devouring a conscious is also a _very_ illegal practice. No one does it. We can taste but no eating.

She unwrapped the cloth around my head pressing her finger on a different kind of cloth that covered my still very much healing eye. Now of course M are capable of fixing wounds but massive wounds inflicted on Q take time and small doses instead of all in one. I could feel my other eye was swollen in some way to protect the real one. When I looked at her eyes I could see myself in them. She then replaced the item with a new one and wrapped my head up again.

"You must rest, Q." Nurse M said.

"Just know, you are the only M I will ask." I said, feeling my other eye become heavy.

"I do." Nurse M said.

"G. . . Good." I said.

She backed away.

Shortly afterwards I was back into darkness, resting. Now a Q can do some rest when it requires injury that takes time to heal. Now we Q rarely do rest for anything at that matter! It is unnecessary in fact to sleep. The darkness was truly lonely but comforting in some retrospects. _I had a nightmare involving the war. It was in a forest. There was dense gray fog. The shouts of Q fleeing was very obvious, painfully obvious. Fear was set about the arena. I was running fast as I could with Q2 and the other men. They were getting shot down one by one from the M phasers killing them ever so slowly. I tripped over a log injuring my leg. I couldn't leave this vessel. I was bound to it! I liked it too much!_

_Q2 left me behind._

_I turned over to see the end of the phaser aimed at my face held by no other than M._

_"Ready,"Her fingers were aimed around the trigger. "Aim," I could hear the bodies of Q falling. "Fire."_

_"No!" Shouted someone._

I shot up awake in a dark tent with one eye still closed.

"Just a dream. . .Q. . . Just a dream. . ." I said.

I rocked back and forth attempting to comfort myself.

For days I had nightmares of the horrid same event except it was placed differently. The days stretched into weeks. Then it stretched into months. Long after I had been discharged. I would find myself resting. My eye apparently needed healing by the body still.  Every day I woke up sweating. Every day I woke up with fear running through my vessel.

One night I went out of the continuum ground to visit the memorial for the fallen unknown Q.

"Can't sleep?" I had a familiar voice.

Nurse Q.

I looked over.

"Nightmares." I said.

We had been seeing each other for the past six months. In that time I had become a Q Judge. There is a plague in honor of those who had given their lives without really telling us their name. Their name meant more to us as it meant who their alliance to was; their home world, their continuum, and realm. If they were 'Q' it wouldn't have mattered. But these fine entities joined us. They left human like vessels behind. They fought to help us.

I turned my head back in the direction of the memorial.

"Ah," Nurse M said. "I thought I would find you here, Judge."

I fought back a smile.

"I am a creature of habit." I said.

Nurse M willed herself to my side.

"Aren't we all?" Nurse M asked.

I looked over toward Nurse M.

"Yes, we are." I said, with a little smile.

"Let me see how your eye is doing." Nurse M said.

"I have been sleeping less and less," I said, as she unraveled the white fabric. "I believe I won't need to sleep in a week."

Nurse M stopped.

"You have baggy eyes," Nurse M said. "You have a entire Q year to go with that injury. All that will be left is  a war scar on the left side of your face."  She wrapped it back up for me. "If you like to go blind without the light concealment."

"No, I prefer to see." I said.

"Q . . . I pity you for what ravaged your continuum," Nurse M said. "My continuum is just . . . on the verge of civil war."

"Civil war?" I asked.

"Yes," Nurse M said. "Some of our ideals are . . . lets say. . . burning up. Some want to start war again and many of us want peace."

I caught Nurse M's hand as she finished the wrapping. 

"Are you telling me you accept the offer, M?" I asked. 

In one eye I can see her cheeks heat up. 

"No."  Nurse M flatly said.

"I heard you right," I said,drawing her closer to me. "You just said the word 'peace'. Now M are rare to say the word 'peace'."

"Well, I am different!" Nurse M said.

"So am I," I said, turning my head to the side. "We all are."

I brought Nurse M into a kiss with my hand behind her back.

Nurse M's arms fell to her side as though she was caught off guard.

I stopped the kiss briefly, with my free finger on her lips.

"No french kissing." I said.

I took my finger off her lips.

"Oh," Nurse M said. "I thought. . ."

"You are a lovely kisser, M," I said. "But stop listening to the rumors of what  Q like."

Nurse M smiled.

"I can do that." Nurse M said.

We engaged in a make out session against a tree and as it turned out Nurse M was the dominant one. It felt so good for her to be in my arms, my hand grazing her naked consciousness, feeling the fine delicate hair on her back raise up with my given hand stroke, and her burning ember shined brightly. It shined so brightly I could have exploded right then taking everything with me in a given asteroid belt. No, wait a second, I did lash out my joy in that moment in the deepest galaxy feeling like I was on a joy ride. Her head laid against my chest listening for the beat of my heart. Her vessel appeared as though she was doing that. The tendrils of our energy were mixing.

And by the Q did it feel good to have a jolly old time with a M.

There was so much pleasure!

I felt better than I had since the war had started.

Much. Much. Much better.

For a moment there we were simply one being, conjoined together, floating balls of power. A dark ball with a glowing inside  with electronical blue energy sizzling. The cackling of sounds coming off. The grass moving (well more like swaying) beneath us. We separated then backing off from our merged state.  There was so much adrenaline. So much rush. We returned to our vessels that had been propped against the tree lacking any attire. The terran form of 'sex' was thrilling but not as thrilling as we Q  and M do it.

I could feel her characterisim at my fingertips and she could feel mine.

"Do you want to start the first draw?" Nurse M said.

"Depending if you want a  pattern or living ball of energy, be specific." I said.

"A pattern." Nurse M said.

I smiled.

"Hold on," I said. "It has to be stable enough to form a . . ." I looked at her. "What do terrans call their young?"

"Babies." Nurse M said.

"It has to be stable enough to form a baby," I said. "It has to be fed and raised by someone consistent."

"Judge, once my civil war starts. . . I want you to take care of the baby." Nurse M said.

"For how long?" I asked.

"For as long as you can." Nurse M said.

"You are not going to die on me, are you?" I asked.

"I can't control that, Q," Nurse M said, feeling the side of my face. "None of us can."

"Let's start patterning," I said. "You go first."

"And you?" Nurse M asked.

"I am getting mine." I said. 

It is a lot like weaving with sticks, except we work together and it takes a very long time to create a baby. There hasn't been a baby in the continuum since the original members were created as adolescents. We worked at it and at it and at it. We didn't notice the time pass by (but thank the Q we were far from the memorial by the point we were creating a baby) as the progress went on.  Now if I were doing this with a woman it would take far longer than with someone of my own. To a human it would be like touching fingers and then we leave because we have changed their perception including their idea of time.

Nurse M and I weaved our large patterns together.

"Do you want to carry the child?" I asked.

"Judge, how about you become a woman and deliver the child?" Nurse M asked.

"Moi? Ah  how about no." I said. 

"Q, this is a very big  thing we are doing and it must be seen you did this with me on your own will," Nurse M said. "The babies vessel will grow inside you. Just think of it. A hybrid growing in a Q being the sole evidence of a promise to keep peace for ever and ever for as long this partnership lasts and the child too."

I paused, taking her words into consideration.

"All right . . ." I said. "But I must hide this pregnancy as a male."

"Do whatever you will," Nurse M said. "But you need to become a woman for the later half."

"Trust me, I will." I said.

Nurse M smiled.

"Let's keep knitting." Nurse M said.

"You mean weaving." I said.

"Same thing, isn't it?" Nurse M said.

I paused.

"Good point." I said.

And then we continued on a difficult creation.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**. . . Nine months later . . .**

"Mr Sulu, what kind of plant is this?" Kirk asked.

Sulu looked over to the unusual specimen that looked like a dragon-lion plant. It had the head of lion, eyes of a dragon, ears of a lion, and over all similarities of a dragon when it was a green beast growing out of a rather large pot with leafs that resembled wings. Sulu's eyes went wide, his mouth fell slack, and the shock couldn't be described so well. He had no idea what it was.  He picked up the  pot then rubbed under the plant's mouth earning a cat like purr. It was quite fascinating.

"It is Dragion," Sulu said. "A new plant species."

Kirk scratched his head.

"Then how did this species end up in my cabin?" Kirk asked.

Sulu appeared to be surprised.

"Your cabin, sir?" Sulu said, confused.

"Yes," Kirk said. "My cabin."

"Why that is strange." Sulu said.

"There is more where this came from." Kirk said.

Sulu  watered the Dragion's soil and the plant _it_ self. 

The dragion hissed at the water then shook its furry like body.

"I would like to see them." Sulu said.

Sulu put the Dragion down on the table.

"Come with me." Kirk said.

The two left Botany together.

They didn't share much of a conversation but instead they went into the debriefing room.

"Captain?" Sulu said. "This is not your cabin."

Kirk smiled.

"You will want to see this," Kirk said. "Look over there."

Sulu looked over to see at the far corner of the room was a entire colony of Dragions in pots and beside them? Ooh yes, you know who it was. It was me! The one and only person who could ever convince Captain Kirk to bring Sulu here. I was a man holding a little bundle in my arms kept inside a blue blanket.

"Hello, Hikaru," I said. "Do you want to be Miq's godfather?"

Sulu stepped forward.

"Why. . . I would be honored," Sulu said, approaching the little one in my arms "Aww, he looks so cute."

"He's a Q and a M," I said. "Both rival races . . . inside a _cute_ little vessel."

"I will leave you be--" Kirk started toward the door.

"No, stay, really," I said. "Kirk, you are the only one to know of this, do not log it or anything as it will affect the future of Star Fleet captains."

Kirk turned away.

"Or what?" Kirk asked. "You are going to make me into a dog?"

I frowned.

"I will turn you into a Klingon." I said. "A real damn Klingon."

"Okay, I will stay." Kirk said.

"Coochie-kue." Sulu said.

I smiled.

It was so perfect.

 _For now_.

And perhaps this peace last _forever_.

**The End.**

**Author's Note:**

> 1.The story originally was going to explore Picard and Q's friendship in the middle of a war, it was also going to be entitled 'Definition of friendship' but since the title was later used the other title 'M and Q war' was chosen. It was then changed during editing when looking back at the highlight of the story. 
> 
> 2\. The entire concept of a second M and Q war was inspired off a scene in 'I,Q' where Q is talking about the M. Mostly by the question: "What if there was a second war?"
> 
> 3\. I had the beginning scene of the story in mind for countless weeks. Originally Q did know the three people who were appearing. But that was part of the friendship idea. 
> 
> 4\. While writing, I had no idea what the three people symbolized to Q. So writing it I had no idea what-so-ever but to continue writing and discover just like Q what they meant to him. 
> 
> 5\. Giving Q PTSD was unresitable, if you've been in a war for so long you don't always come back in one piece. 
> 
> 6\. The scene where Q lands in Patrick's dining room was in my head for awhile, too, and it was going to involve Q telling Patrick this war affects other realities. A ripple affect. Displaced people. Also it could have been a sequel'ish to The Shuttle since in that idea Q already met Patrick.
> 
> 7\. This is the first story where I wrote Sulu have more than one line. "Every time you tag Sulu you give him ONE LINE! Okay let's arrange a scene between Sulu and Q, oh and give Sulu more of a character than just being there."


End file.
